Centre for Health Communication and Participation, Australian Institute for Primary Care, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.
BMC Public Health. 2010 Mar 4;10:108. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-108.
Communicating risk is part of primary prevention of coronary heart disease and stroke, collectively referred to as cardiovascular disease (CVD). In Australia, health organisations have promoted an absolute risk approach, thereby raising the question of suitable standardised formats for risk communication.
Sixteen formats of risk representation were prepared including statements, icons, graphical formats, alone or in combination, and with variable use of colours. All presented the same risk, i.e., the absolute risk for a 55 year old woman, 16% risk of CVD in five years. Preferences for a five or ten-year timeframe were explored. Australian GPs and consumers were recruited for participation in focus groups, with the data analysed thematically and preferred formats tallied.
Three focus groups with health consumers and three with GPs were held, involving 19 consumers and 18 GPs. Consumers and GPs had similar views on which formats were more easily comprehended and which conveyed 16% risk as a high risk. A simple summation of preferences resulted in three graphical formats (thermometers, vertical bar chart) and one statement format as the top choices. The use of colour to distinguish risk (red, yellow, green) and comparative information (age, sex, smoking status) were important ingredients. Consumers found formats which combined information helpful, such as colour, effect of changing behaviour on risk, or comparison with a healthy older person. GPs preferred formats that helped them relate the information about risk of CVD to their patients, and could be used to motivate patients to change behaviour.Several formats were reported as confusing, such as a percentage risk with no contextual information, line graphs, and icons, particularly those with larger numbers. Whilst consumers and GPs shared preferences, the use of one format for all situations was not recommended. Overall, people across groups felt that risk expressed over five years was preferable to a ten-year risk, the latter being too remote.
Consumers and GPs shared preferences for risk representation formats. Both groups liked the option to combine formats and tailor the risk information to reflect a specific individual's risk, to maximise understanding and provide a good basis for discussion.
沟通风险是冠心病和中风（统称为心血管疾病）一级预防的一部分。在澳大利亚，卫生组织提倡使用绝对风险方法，这就提出了适合风险沟通的标准化格式的问题。
准备了 16 种风险表示格式，包括陈述、图标、图形格式，单独或组合使用，并使用不同的颜色。所有这些都呈现出相同的风险，即 55 岁女性在五年内患心血管疾病的绝对风险为 16%。探讨了对五年或十年时间框架的偏好。招募了澳大利亚全科医生和消费者参加焦点小组，对数据进行主题分析，并对首选格式进行计数。
进行了三次健康消费者焦点小组和三次全科医生焦点小组，涉及 19 名消费者和 18 名全科医生。消费者和全科医生对哪些格式更容易理解以及哪些格式将 16%的风险视为高风险有类似的看法。简单地汇总偏好结果得出了三个图形格式（温度计、垂直条形图）和一个陈述格式作为首选。使用颜色来区分风险（红色、黄色、绿色）和比较信息（年龄、性别、吸烟状况）是重要的因素。消费者发现将信息结合起来的格式很有帮助，例如颜色、改变行为对风险的影响，或与健康老年人进行比较。全科医生更喜欢那些能帮助他们将心血管疾病风险信息与患者联系起来，并能用来激励患者改变行为的格式。一些格式被报告为令人困惑，例如没有上下文信息的百分比风险、折线图和图标，特别是那些数字较大的格式。虽然消费者和全科医生有共同的偏好，但不建议在所有情况下都使用一种格式。总的来说，不同群体的人都认为，表达五年的风险比表达十年的风险更受欢迎，后者太遥远。
消费者和全科医生对风险表示格式有共同的偏好。两组人都喜欢选择组合格式，并根据特定个体的风险调整风险信息，以最大限度地提高理解，并为讨论提供良好的基础。
