What Works Best in Terms of Translating Statistical Data on Health Risks into Information Patients Can Use to Make Informed Decisions about Treatment or Non-Treatment?

The increase in patient involvement in decision making regarding their own health in recent years have led to relevant changes in doctor-patient communication. Doctors need to start accepting the increased involvement of patients and engage in shared decision making instead of adopting the autonomous role (Godolphin, 2003). Risk communication is one way of providing more information to enable patients to make confident risk-relevant decisions (Edwards, 2003). There are some arguments that risk communication is futile due to the lack of statistical understanding in lay people.…