TY - JOUR
T1 - Communicating Down syndrome risk according to maternal age
T2 - "1-in-X" effect on perceived risk
AU - Pighin, Stefania
AU - Savadori, Lucia
AU - Barilli, Elisa
AU - Galbiati, Silvia
AU - Smid, Maddalene
AU - Ferrari, Maurizio
AU - Cremonesi, Laura
PY - 2015/8/1
Y1 - 2015/8/1
N2 - Objective: The appropriateness of the 1-in-X numerical format to convey quantitative medical probabilities is currently under discussion because of its distortive effect on subjective probability assessment. Previous research, however, always asked participants to imagine a hypothetical scenario. The aim of the present research is to support the existence of the 1-in-X effect in a real setting: when pregnant women have to evaluate their personal risk of Down syndrome according to their maternal age. Method: During the first prenatal visit, pregnant women were asked to evaluate their own risk of having a child with Down syndrome according to their age, when such risk was presented either in the 1-in-X or in the N-in-NX format. Then, they were asked to assess their risk of having a child with Down syndrome. Results: Results showed a systematic higher risk assessment when pregnant women were presented with the 1-in-X format (mean=3.57, standard deviation=1.4) than with the N-in-NX format (mean=3.03, standard deviation=1.4), P=0.007. Whereas the effect was shown to be not moderated by a differential comprehension of the two numerical formats, women with a low educational level and those who were at their first pregnancy were shown to be significantly more vulnerable. Conclusion: The present findings corroborate the existence of the 1-in-X effect in a real-world setting, showing that, in pregnant women, the 1-in-X format actually elicits a higher perceived risk of Down syndrome, compared with the N-in-NX format.
AB - Objective: The appropriateness of the 1-in-X numerical format to convey quantitative medical probabilities is currently under discussion because of its distortive effect on subjective probability assessment. Previous research, however, always asked participants to imagine a hypothetical scenario. The aim of the present research is to support the existence of the 1-in-X effect in a real setting: when pregnant women have to evaluate their personal risk of Down syndrome according to their maternal age. Method: During the first prenatal visit, pregnant women were asked to evaluate their own risk of having a child with Down syndrome according to their age, when such risk was presented either in the 1-in-X or in the N-in-NX format. Then, they were asked to assess their risk of having a child with Down syndrome. Results: Results showed a systematic higher risk assessment when pregnant women were presented with the 1-in-X format (mean=3.57, standard deviation=1.4) than with the N-in-NX format (mean=3.03, standard deviation=1.4), P=0.007. Whereas the effect was shown to be not moderated by a differential comprehension of the two numerical formats, women with a low educational level and those who were at their first pregnancy were shown to be significantly more vulnerable. Conclusion: The present findings corroborate the existence of the 1-in-X effect in a real-world setting, showing that, in pregnant women, the 1-in-X format actually elicits a higher perceived risk of Down syndrome, compared with the N-in-NX format.
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U2 - 10.1002/pd.4606
DO - 10.1002/pd.4606
M3 - Article
C2 - 25903809
AN - SCOPUS:84938592073
VL - 35
SP - 777
EP - 782
JO - Prenatal Diagnosis
JF - Prenatal Diagnosis
SN - 0197-3851
IS - 8
ER -