Research indicates that presenting medical risks and test results using numerical formats enhances patient comprehension significantly. Patients interpret risks more accurately when provided with consistent denominators, absolute differences, and visual aids like part-to-whole graphs. The study noted that verbal descriptors like 'rare' and 'common' often misled patients, causing them to overestimate probabilities. A preference for numeric formats was shown, emphasizing the need for clear presentations to enable informed decision-making among patients in healthcare environments.

Source: JAMA Insights