Doctors test effort that helps people understand health risk i...( Health and Human Services Agency for H...),Health

After reading the materials, participants were asked to answer questions testing their ability to interpret medical data. In the low socioeconomic group, 44 percent of those using the primer passed the test, compared to 26 percent of those receiving the general health booklet. The corresponding numbers in the high socioeconomic study were 74 percent versus 56 percent. The researchers point out that, while good data interpretation skills are needed to make good decisions, they did not directly test the effect of the primer on actual decision making.

We don't know of any other generic educational interventions like this, says Woloshin. Its simple, low tech, inexpensive, and were happy to learn that its also effective.

This study was supported by funds from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the National Cancer Institute.