Unfortunately, certain nutrition label characteristics may impede consumer detection and comprehension of labels.
Significant positive correlations were found between self-ratings of certainty and comprehension of labels (rs =.414, df = 100, p =<.001), percentages (rs =.299, df = 100, p =.001) and pie charts (rs =.218, df = 100, p =.014).
We found that the illustrations selected for examination in this study provided little or no benefit in improving patients' comprehension of labels informing them how medications should be taken or their potential side effects.
Feunekes et al. examined comprehension of single label types and found that the time taken to make an evaluation increases with the complexity of the FOP label.
However, two older studies found that the use of symbols did not improve understanding of prescription instructions compared to written directions alone [ 5] and that comprehension of prescription labels was unaffected by the use of auxiliary labels (different from those used in this study) [ 10].
It measures comprehension of the labels on prescription vials, of appointment slips, of what the patient is expected to do before diagnostic tests, etc.
We studied the comprehension of food labels among 120 young adults (mean age 24.1 years) attending an international travel immunization clinic.
This inadequate comprehension of food labels represents a missed opportunity to provide essential information necessary for healthy food choices at the individual level.
A 2006 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that examined 200 primary care patients' comprehension of food labels showed, for instance, that only 32% could correctly calculate the amount of carbohydrates in a 20-ounce bottle of soda with multiple servings.
Significant positive correlations were found between self-ratings of certainty and comprehension of verbal labels, percentages and pie charts.
