Masayuki Okamoto|Yasushi Kyutoku|Manabu Sawada|Lester Clowney|Eiju Watanabe|Ippeita Dan|Keiko Kawamoto
Health numeracy in Japan: measures of basic numeracy account for framing bias in a highly numerate population
Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine|Jichi Medical University|Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine|Jichi Medical University|Jichi Medical University|Jichi Medical University|Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
health numeracy important factor well people make decisions based medical risk information however many countries including japan numeracy studies limited fill gap evaluated health numeracy levels sample japanese adults translating two wellknown scales objectively measure basic understanding math probability 3item numeracy scale developed schwartz colleagues schwartz scale expanded version 11item numeracy scale developed lipkus colleagues lipkus scale participants performances n 300 scales much higher original studies conducted united states 80 average itemwise correct response rate schwartzj 87 lipkusj high performance resulted ceiling effect distributions scores made difficult apply parametric statistical analysis limited interpretation statistical results nevertheless data provided evidence reliability validity scales reliability japanese versions schwartzj lipkusj comparable original terms internal consistency cronbachs 053 schwartzj 072 lipkusj convergent validity suggested positive correlations existing japanese health literacy measure test ability interpret medical information developed takahashi colleagues contains items relevant numeracy furthermore shown previous studies health numeracy still associated framing bias individuals whose lipkusj performance median significantly influenced probability framed rated surgical risks significant association also found using schwartzj consisted three items despite relatively high levels health numeracy according scales numeracy measures still important determinants underlying susceptibility framing bias suggests important japan identify individuals low numeracy skills risk information presented way enables correctly understand investigation required effective numeracy measures intervention japan