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The Effect of Numerical Statements of Risk on Trust and Comfort with Hypothetical Physician Risk Communication

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea D. Gurmankin

    (Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University, New Jersey)

  • Jonathan Baron

    (Psychology Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia)

  • Katrina Armstrong

    (Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Division of General Internal Medicine and Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia)

Abstract

Objective . To contribute to the debate about whether numeric statements of risk ought to be included in risk communications. Design . Subjects ( n = 115) completed a questionnaire involving a physician risk communication and 4 scenarios, each of which described a patient with symptoms and signs potentially suggestive of cancer. Each scenario was presented in 3 risk communication versions (a verbal version and 2 numeric versions) in a within-subject 4 × 3 design. Subjects rated their trust in and comfort with the information and their belief that the physician distorted their risk level. Results . Subjects were significantly more trusting of ( t =4.0, P

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea D. Gurmankin & Jonathan Baron & Katrina Armstrong, 2004. "The Effect of Numerical Statements of Risk on Trust and Comfort with Hypothetical Physician Risk Communication," Medical Decision Making, , vol. 24(3), pages 265-271, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:medema:v:24:y:2004:i:3:p:265-271
    DOI: 10.1177/0272989X04265482
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Vivianne H. M. Visschers & Ree M. Meertens & Wim W. F. Passchier & Nanne N. K. De Vries, 2009. "Probability Information in Risk Communication: A Review of the Research Literature," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(2), pages 267-287, February.
    8. Fasolo, Barbara & Bana e Costa, Carlos A., 2014. "Tailoring value elicitation to decision makers' numeracy and fluency: Expressing value judgments in numbers or words," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 83-90.
    9. Carlos A. Bana e Costa & João C. Lourenço & Manuel P. Chagas & João C. Bana e Costa, 2008. "Development of Reusable Bid Evaluation Models for the Portuguese Electric Transmission Company," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 5(1), pages 22-42, March.
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    12. V.H.M. Visschers & P.M. Wiedemann & H. Gutscher & S. Kurzenhäuser & R. Seidl & C.G. Jardine & D.R.M. Timmermans, 2012. "Affect-inducing risk communication: current knowledge and future directions," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(3), pages 257-271, March.
    13. Carissa Bonner & Lyndal J. Trevena & Wolfgang Gaissmaier & Paul K. J. Han & Yasmina Okan & Elissa Ozanne & Ellen Peters & Daniëlle Timmermans & Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher, 2021. "Current Best Practice for Presenting Probabilities in Patient Decision Aids: Fundamental Principles," Medical Decision Making, , vol. 41(7), pages 821-833, October.
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