Page 13 - RxBound - Summer 2015
P. 13
M any people in the U.S. aren’t effectively,” she said. “Even people who comprehension most in the less
good with numbers, but that
numerate.”
are highly educated can be innumerate,
shouldn’t stop health professionals from or not very good with numbers.” Peters also recommended providing
providing them to patients — along Peters recommended giving patients the patients context to better understand
with some context — to help them lead numbers they need to make good the meaning of numbers. For instance, a
healthier lives, according to the keynote decisions. She conducted a study where person deciding whether to eat a cookie
speaker at Western University of Health half the subjects received basic may be told that the cookie has 220
th
Sciences’ 9 Annual Ray Symposium.
information about a new medication calories. Or you could tell them that it
The symposium, held April 30, 2015 in and the other half received the same would require 40 minutes of brisk
Pomona, Calif., featured keynote information, plus additional numeric walking to work off those calories.
speaker Ellen Peters, PhD, a professor information such as the frequency of “Consumers are certainly not always
in the Psychology Department and certain side effects. adept at using the complex and often
Director of the Behavioral Decision- “People who don’t get the numbers are numeric information that’s important to
Making Initiative at The Ohio State far more likely to overestimate the risks good health decisions,” Peters said.
University.
than the people who are given the “Patient communication should be done
In her research, Peters focuses on numbers, and your numeric ability does strategically, first by deciding what the
understanding the basic building blocks not matter,” she said. “In addition to goal of that communication is. You
of human judgment and decision that, less-numerate individuals are more have to decide what is it you want them
making. She is a recognized leader in likely to take the drug if you give them to get out of this encounter. Once you
risk perception, communication, and the numbers. know what you want them to get out of
the psychology of health decision “Providing numbers matters,” Peters this encounter, you can carefully choose
making, publishing papers on the effects said. “It’s about education. It’s about — in an evidence-based manner — how
of affect and emotion, numeracy and informing our patients and helping to present that information, with the
number processing, and aging. ultimate goal of healthier, happier
them take charge of their own health.”
Numeracy, or numeric literacy, is the Although you should provide numbers, patients.”
ability to understand and use numerical you shouldn’t overwhelm patients with
concepts. Numeracy is important in them, she added. The Ray Symposium, presented by the
health care because numbers instruct, College of Pharmacy and the
inform and give meaning to information “We need to reduce how much Interprofessional Education program,
about health plans, medications and cognitive effort we require from honors Max D. Ray, MS, PharmD,
treatments, Peters said. patients,” Peters said. “Less is more. Dean Emeritus of the College of
Including less information — just the Pharmacy.
“The problem is, not everyone can most important information — helped
understand and use numbers
Left: Max Ray, MS, PharmD, Dean Emeritus of WesternU College of Pharmacy; Ellen Peters, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Director of the Behavioral Decision Making Initiative, The
Ohio State University; and Daniel Robinson, PharmD, FASHP, Dean of WesternU College of Pharmacy. Center: Daniel Kurtz, PhD, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs,
WesternU College of Optometry; Tina Meyer, DHSc, PA-C, Chair, Department of Health Sciences, WesternU College of Allied Health Professions; Gary Gugelchuk, PhD, Provost and
Chief Operating Officer, WesternU; and Anandi Law, B.Pharm, PhD, Department Chair and Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, WesternU College of Pharmacy.
Right: Denise Schilling, PT, PhD, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy Education, WesternU College of Allied Health Professions; Stephanie Bowlin, EdD,
PA, Dean of WesternU College of Allied Health Professions; and Thomas Fox, PhD, Senior Vice President, WesternU.
WesternU, College of Pharmacy 11
good with numbers, but that
numerate.”
are highly educated can be innumerate,
shouldn’t stop health professionals from or not very good with numbers.” Peters also recommended providing
providing them to patients — along Peters recommended giving patients the patients context to better understand
with some context — to help them lead numbers they need to make good the meaning of numbers. For instance, a
healthier lives, according to the keynote decisions. She conducted a study where person deciding whether to eat a cookie
speaker at Western University of Health half the subjects received basic may be told that the cookie has 220
th
Sciences’ 9 Annual Ray Symposium.
information about a new medication calories. Or you could tell them that it
The symposium, held April 30, 2015 in and the other half received the same would require 40 minutes of brisk
Pomona, Calif., featured keynote information, plus additional numeric walking to work off those calories.
speaker Ellen Peters, PhD, a professor information such as the frequency of “Consumers are certainly not always
in the Psychology Department and certain side effects. adept at using the complex and often
Director of the Behavioral Decision- “People who don’t get the numbers are numeric information that’s important to
Making Initiative at The Ohio State far more likely to overestimate the risks good health decisions,” Peters said.
University.
than the people who are given the “Patient communication should be done
In her research, Peters focuses on numbers, and your numeric ability does strategically, first by deciding what the
understanding the basic building blocks not matter,” she said. “In addition to goal of that communication is. You
of human judgment and decision that, less-numerate individuals are more have to decide what is it you want them
making. She is a recognized leader in likely to take the drug if you give them to get out of this encounter. Once you
risk perception, communication, and the numbers. know what you want them to get out of
the psychology of health decision “Providing numbers matters,” Peters this encounter, you can carefully choose
making, publishing papers on the effects said. “It’s about education. It’s about — in an evidence-based manner — how
of affect and emotion, numeracy and informing our patients and helping to present that information, with the
number processing, and aging. ultimate goal of healthier, happier
them take charge of their own health.”
Numeracy, or numeric literacy, is the Although you should provide numbers, patients.”
ability to understand and use numerical you shouldn’t overwhelm patients with
concepts. Numeracy is important in them, she added. The Ray Symposium, presented by the
health care because numbers instruct, College of Pharmacy and the
inform and give meaning to information “We need to reduce how much Interprofessional Education program,
about health plans, medications and cognitive effort we require from honors Max D. Ray, MS, PharmD,
treatments, Peters said. patients,” Peters said. “Less is more. Dean Emeritus of the College of
Including less information — just the Pharmacy.
“The problem is, not everyone can most important information — helped
understand and use numbers
Left: Max Ray, MS, PharmD, Dean Emeritus of WesternU College of Pharmacy; Ellen Peters, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Director of the Behavioral Decision Making Initiative, The
Ohio State University; and Daniel Robinson, PharmD, FASHP, Dean of WesternU College of Pharmacy. Center: Daniel Kurtz, PhD, OD, FAAO, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs,
WesternU College of Optometry; Tina Meyer, DHSc, PA-C, Chair, Department of Health Sciences, WesternU College of Allied Health Professions; Gary Gugelchuk, PhD, Provost and
Chief Operating Officer, WesternU; and Anandi Law, B.Pharm, PhD, Department Chair and Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, WesternU College of Pharmacy.
Right: Denise Schilling, PT, PhD, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy Education, WesternU College of Allied Health Professions; Stephanie Bowlin, EdD,
PA, Dean of WesternU College of Allied Health Professions; and Thomas Fox, PhD, Senior Vice President, WesternU.
WesternU, College of Pharmacy 11
