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Investigating the presentation of uncertainty in an icon array: A randomized trial
Gabriel Recchia1, Alice C E Lawrence1, Alexandra L J Freeman1
1Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication, Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
PEC Innovation
|December 15, 2022
Summary
Simple pictographs may help communicate BRCA1 risks, especially for those with less education. Visual aids showed better understanding of breast cancer risk compared to text alone.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Genetic Engineering
- Health Communication
- Risk Assessment
Background:
- Clinicians often use pictographs for risk communication.
- The effectiveness of pictographs for communicating risk imprecision (e.g., 65%-79%) is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate three methods of visualizing risk imprecision for BRCA1 pathogenic variant carriers.
- To determine if visual aids improve understanding of breast and ovarian cancer risks.
Main Methods:
- 1,300 UK residents received BRCA1 risk information in four formats: text alone, or pictographs (shaded icons, gradient, arrows).
- Pictograph layouts and tabular formats were also tested.
- ANOVA and regression analyses were used.
Main Results:
- Pictographs improved uptake of breast cancer risk messages compared to text alone.
- Pictographs and tabular layouts enhanced memory for specific risk amounts.
- Individuals with lower educational attainment may benefit more from these visualizations.
Conclusions:
- Simple pictographs with ranges offer weak evidence of benefit over text alone for communicating BRCA risk.
- Tabular layouts also showed some benefit in risk communication.
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