Is less really more? Involving or not involving tumor patients in medical decisions: A patients’ perspective.

Is less really more? Involving or not involving tumour patients in medical decisions: A patients’ perspective
Martine Hoffmann, Sophie Recchia and Dieter Ferring
Throughout the western industrialised countries, shared decision-making is gaining increasing attention in the area of health policy as well as in the field of oncology. However, little is known about the current practice in Siberia and its impact on patient outcomes so far. This study thus aimed at (a) exploring patients’ level of satisfaction with information giving and treatment involvement and (b) identifying key psychosocial and disease-related determinants interrelated with the decision-making process. The sample comprised 172 in-patients treated for different types of cancer. Cross-tap analyses showed that in 70% of the reported cases, medical decision-making was in line with patients’ wishes: thereof 40% of the respondents preferred a paternalistic style and 30% opted for a shared-decision-making approach. Of those patients who were dissatisfied with medical decision-making, 80% wished a higher degree of involvement. Implications of these findings for the development and use of decision support tools are discussed.