Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
Centre for Research Training in Foundations of Data Science, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
BMC Med Educ. 2024 Jan 23;24(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-05048-3.
Given the complementary roles of health professionals and journalists in communicating health risks to patients and the public, there have been calls for physicians to work with journalists to improve the quality of health information received by the public. Understanding the preferences of medical and journalism students for the way in which health risks are communicated and their understanding of words used to describe risk is an important first step to inform interdisciplinary learning.
Medical and journalism students (n = 203) completed an online survey where they were given qualitative descriptors of risk such as 'a chance', 'probably' and 'unlikely', and asked to assign a number that represents what the word means to them. Different formats of communicating risk (percentages, natural frequency and visual aids) were provided and students were asked to select and explain their preference. A thematic analysis of reasons was conducted. Numeracy and perceived mathematics ability were measured.
Numbers assigned to the descriptor 'A chance' had the highest variability for medical students. Numbers assigned to the descriptor 'Probably' had the highest variability for journalism students. Using visual aids was the most popular format for risk communication for both courses (56% of medical students and 40% of journalism students). Using percentages was twice as popular with journalism students compared to medical students (36% vs. 18%). Perceived mathematics ability was lower in students with a preference for natural frequencies and in journalism students, however performance on an objective numeracy scale was similar for all three formats (percentages, natural frequency and visual aids). Reasons for choosing a preferred format included good communication, eliciting a response, or learning style.
Education on health risk communication for medical and journalism students should emphasize the need for qualitative descriptors of risk to be combined with the best available number. Students are already considering their role as future communicators of health risks and open to tailoring the mode of presentation to their audience. Further research is required on the design and evaluation of interdisciplinary workshops in health risk communication for medical and journalism students to maximise the opportunities for future inter-professional working.
鉴于医疗专业人员和新闻记者在向患者和公众传达健康风险方面具有互补作用，因此有人呼吁医生与记者合作，提高公众接收到的健康信息质量。了解医学生和新闻专业学生对健康风险沟通方式的偏好，以及他们对描述风险的词语的理解，是为跨学科学习提供信息的重要第一步。
医学生和新闻专业学生（n=203）完成了一项在线调查，他们被提供了风险的定性描述，如“机会”、“可能”和“不太可能”，并被要求分配一个代表该词含义的数字。提供了不同的风险沟通格式（百分比、自然频率和视觉辅助工具），并要求学生选择并解释他们的偏好。对原因进行了主题分析。测量了计算能力和感知数学能力。
医学生对“机会”这个描述符分配的数字变化最大。新闻专业学生对“可能”这个描述符分配的数字变化最大。使用视觉辅助工具是两门课程中最受欢迎的风险沟通格式（56%的医学生和 40%的新闻专业学生）。与医学生相比，新闻专业学生更喜欢使用百分比（36%对 18%）。对自然频率有偏好的学生和新闻专业学生的感知数学能力较低，但是在所有三种格式（百分比、自然频率和视觉辅助工具）上的表现都相似。选择首选格式的原因包括良好的沟通、引起回应或学习风格。
医学生和新闻专业学生的健康风险沟通教育应强调需要将风险的定性描述与最佳可用数字结合起来。学生们已经在考虑自己作为未来健康风险传播者的角色，并愿意根据受众调整呈现方式。需要进一步研究医学和新闻专业学生健康风险沟通的跨学科工作坊的设计和评估，以最大限度地发挥未来跨专业合作的机会。
