Numeracy and COVID-19: examining interrelationships between numeracy, health numeracy and behaviour.

ABSTRACT: During the COVID-19 pandemic, people across the globe have been exposed to large amounts of statistical data. Previous studies have shown that individuals' mathematical understanding of health-related information affects their attitudes and behaviours. Here, we investigate the relation between (i) basic numeracy, (ii) COVID-19 health numeracy, and (iii) COVID-19 health-related attitudes and behaviours. An online survey measuring these three variables was distributed in Canada, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) (n = 2032). In line with predictions, basic numeracy was positively related to COVID-19 health numeracy. However, predictions, neither basic numeracy nor COVID-19 health numeracy was related to COVID-19 health-related attitudes and behaviours (e.g. follow expe

SUBMITTER: Lau NTT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8924770 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature