Isaac M. Lipkus
Numeric, Verbal, and Visual Formats of Conveying Health Risks: Suggested Best Practices and Future Recommendations
Duke Medical Center
perception health risk affect medical decisions health behavior change yet concept risk difficult one public grasp whether perceptions risk affect decisions behaviors often relies messages risk magnitudes ie likelihood conveyed based expert opinion article offers possible best practices conveying magnitude health risks using numeric verbal visual formats expert opinion based existing empirical evidence review papers books consultations experts risk communication article also discusses formats use pertaining unique risk communication challenges eg conveying smallprobability events interactions several recommendations suggested enhancing precision perception risk presenting risk magnitudes numerically visually overall little data suggest best practices verbal communication risk magnitudes across 3 formats overall recommendations could suggested 1 lack consistency testing formats using outcomes domain interest 2 lack critical tests using randomized controlled studies pitting formats one another 3 lack theoretical progress detailing testing mechanisms one format efficacious specific context affect risk magnitudes others areas future research provided hoped help illuminate future best practices