Lower objectively and subjectively assessed numeracy are both associated with poorer self-rated health

BMC Research Notes

Natalie C. Benda¹  Zihan Yang¹  Haojia Li¹  Tianran Zhang¹  Jessica S. Ancker² 

[1] Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, 425 E 61 stStreet, Suite 301, 10065, New York, NY, USA;Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, 425 E 61 stStreet, Suite 301, 10065, New York, NY, USA;Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Ave., Rm, 14122, Nashville, TN, USA;

关键词: Numeracy;    Health communication;    Health status;    Social determinants of health;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13104-021-05737-y

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

ObjectiveTo compare an objective with a subjective numeracy assessment for association with self-reported health status, where numeracy refers to “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to access, process, interpret, communicate, and act on numerical, quantitative, graphical, biostatistical, and probabilistic health information needed to make effective health decisions”ResultsWe completed a secondary analysis of two population-based surveys, the Empire State Poll (n = 763) and the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC; n = 2609). The first survey assessed numeracy with a 3-item subjective instrument. The second assessed numeracy with more than 20 math problems. Both used the same measure for self-reported health status. Lower numeracy, whether subjectively or objectively assessed, was associated with worse self-reported health, even after controlling for education and other sociodemographic confounders. The odds ratios for the association were very similar (0.91 and 0.90 respectively). A lengthy objective numeracy assessment and a brief self-report assessment had similar associations with health status. A brief self-report measure of numeracy has similar properties to a lengthy objective assessment and is likely to be more feasible to use to screen patients in practice.

【 授权许可】

CC BY