Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) Practice Exam

What is the most appropriate method for screening a patient for numeracy challenges?

1. Ask the patient the highest grade they completed and how well they did in math

2. Ask if they have any trouble doing math problems

3. Give them a standardized assessment to complete at home and bring back to the next appointment

4. Present applicable hypothetical situations such as calculating meal time insulin dose

The correct answer is: Present applicable hypothetical situations such as calculating meal time insulin dose

Using applicable hypothetical situations, such as calculating meal time insulin doses, is an effective method to assess a patient's numeracy challenges because it provides real-world context that makes the screening relevant and practical. This approach enables the specialist to observe how the patient applies numerical skills in situations they may encounter in daily life, particularly in managing their diabetes. By presenting scenarios that require mathematical computation, healthcare professionals can gauge not only the patient's ability to perform calculations but also their understanding of how these calculations impact their health management. This method helps to highlight specific areas where the patient may struggle with numeracy without making them feel judged or uncomfortable, fostering a more supportive environment. In contrast, merely asking about the highest grade completed or confidence in math (as suggested in the first two options) provides less insight into current abilities and practical application. These questions might lead to self-reported biases and do not necessarily reflect how the patient functions in real-life situations. Offering a standardized assessment to complete at home could also fail to capture the nuances of the patient’s abilities as it removes the opportunity for interactive learning and clarification that might occur in a direct consultation. Thus, the approach of using hypothetical situations is well-suited for identifying numeracy challenges in a way that is engaging and relevant to the patient's