Beyond High-Income Countries: Low Numeracy Is Associated with Older Adult Age around the World.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Numeracy, or the ability to understand and use numbers, has been associated with obtaining better health and financial outcomes. Studies in high-income countries suggest that low numeracy is associated with older age-perhaps especially among individuals with lower education. Here, we examined whether findings generalize to the rest of the world.

Methods

Gallup surveyed >150,000 participants for the 2019 Lloyd's Register Foundation World Risk Poll, from 21 low-income, 34 lower-middle income, 42 upper-middle income, and 43 high-income countries. Low numeracy was operationalized as failing to correctly answer, "Is 10% bigger than 1 out of 10, smaller than 1 out of 10, or the same as 1 out of 10?"

Results

Regressions controlling for participants' education, inc

SUBMITTER: Bruine de Bruin W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10363889 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan-Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature