Presentation
DH9 - From Data to Decision: The Role of Data Visualization and Summary Statements on Health Behavior and Decision-Making
SessionPoster Session 1
DescriptionPersonal health management often requires patients to interpret medical results and make important decisions. Digital technology, such as electronic health records (EHR), is helpful for patients to quickly obtain medical results and take on more active roles when self-monitoring their health. Despite these benefits, there are many challenges commonly experienced when interpreting EHR. Difficulties can arise from low health or digital literacy, limited context or ineffective explanations provided with results, or a general lack of usability and accessibility (Zhang et al., 2020). Results from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) highlight the extent of this problem. The 2017 U.S. PIAAC survey revealed that adults performed at the lowest proficiency level in literacy (19%), numeracy (29%), and digital problem-solving (24%) (NCES, 2017). Additionally, online medical materials often exceed the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) recommended reading level (Abu-Heija et al., 2019; Hutchinson et al., 2016). Combined, these findings highlight the need to improve communication of health information to enhance accessibility.
The purpose of data visualization is to communicate information, allowing viewers to quickly identify important patterns or trends in the data (Few, 2014, Chapter 35; Ware, 2020). Utilizing what is known about human perception can inform how to display information effectively. Morrow et al. (2019) found that enhanced EHR visualizations, such as formats with evaluative labels, icons, and summary statements, improved memory of health information in older adults. Practitioner guidelines suggest decluttering visualizations, such as removing excessive labels (Ajani et al., 2021). A global summary statement may suffice without needless additional labels on the tables or number lines. A study utilizing a web-based language processing tool that identifies medical terms and links them with simplified definitions showed improved user comprehension when integrating intervention measures into EHR (Lalor et al., 2019). Findings like this one underline the importance of providing patients with easy access to medical definitions, explanations, and context, so that they can understand information and make informed medical decisions. The current study aims to systematically test the addition of overall summary statements presented with standard table and number line formats.
We predicted that participants would be more likely to make judgments consistent with preventative health behaviors in conditions where a summary of results was presented (Lalor et al., 2019; Morrow et al., 2019) and that number lines would improve differentiation of cholesterol levels within risk categories due to clearer range boundaries. Participants consisted of college students (N = 88) who viewed hypothetical cholesterol health results with or without additional summary information displayed in either a standard table format or a number line with values across low, borderline, and high levels of risk.
Both the format type and level of risk influenced participants’ responses. Our hypotheses were partially supported: in half of the behavioral intention questions (following up with a doctor and exercise), adding summary information promoted the likelihood of engaging in preventative health behaviors in high-risk conditions (all ps<.05). Our findings suggest that people were reading and considering the summary statements when making judgments. Without a summary, the table format was subject to increased misinterpretation, suggesting the need for a more intuitive presentation of information. Within the borderline condition, participants were more likely to respond that values were acceptable when presented on a number line than a table despite being shown the same set of values in each format type (p<.001). These findings demonstrate that both the presentation format and the inclusion of summary information can influence how data is interpreted. Creators of digital platforms and medical practitioners should consider how they present data because these design choices can affect how patients understand their health status and make decisions, particularly in borderline cases where inaction may lead to more concerning clinical outcomes.
The purpose of data visualization is to communicate information, allowing viewers to quickly identify important patterns or trends in the data (Few, 2014, Chapter 35; Ware, 2020). Utilizing what is known about human perception can inform how to display information effectively. Morrow et al. (2019) found that enhanced EHR visualizations, such as formats with evaluative labels, icons, and summary statements, improved memory of health information in older adults. Practitioner guidelines suggest decluttering visualizations, such as removing excessive labels (Ajani et al., 2021). A global summary statement may suffice without needless additional labels on the tables or number lines. A study utilizing a web-based language processing tool that identifies medical terms and links them with simplified definitions showed improved user comprehension when integrating intervention measures into EHR (Lalor et al., 2019). Findings like this one underline the importance of providing patients with easy access to medical definitions, explanations, and context, so that they can understand information and make informed medical decisions. The current study aims to systematically test the addition of overall summary statements presented with standard table and number line formats.
We predicted that participants would be more likely to make judgments consistent with preventative health behaviors in conditions where a summary of results was presented (Lalor et al., 2019; Morrow et al., 2019) and that number lines would improve differentiation of cholesterol levels within risk categories due to clearer range boundaries. Participants consisted of college students (N = 88) who viewed hypothetical cholesterol health results with or without additional summary information displayed in either a standard table format or a number line with values across low, borderline, and high levels of risk.
Both the format type and level of risk influenced participants’ responses. Our hypotheses were partially supported: in half of the behavioral intention questions (following up with a doctor and exercise), adding summary information promoted the likelihood of engaging in preventative health behaviors in high-risk conditions (all ps<.05). Our findings suggest that people were reading and considering the summary statements when making judgments. Without a summary, the table format was subject to increased misinterpretation, suggesting the need for a more intuitive presentation of information. Within the borderline condition, participants were more likely to respond that values were acceptable when presented on a number line than a table despite being shown the same set of values in each format type (p<.001). These findings demonstrate that both the presentation format and the inclusion of summary information can influence how data is interpreted. Creators of digital platforms and medical practitioners should consider how they present data because these design choices can affect how patients understand their health status and make decisions, particularly in borderline cases where inaction may lead to more concerning clinical outcomes.
Event Type
Poster Presentation
TimeMonday, March 314:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
LocationFrontenac Foyer
Digital Health (DH)
Simulation and Education (SE)
Hospital Environments (HE)
Medical and Drug Delivery Devices (MDD)
Patient Safety and Research Initiatives (PS)