Preferences for Shared Decision-Making Between Physicians and Patients: Is Age a Factor?
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Abstract
Shared decision-making (SDM) is a tool suggested for improving patient-doctor relationships, health decision satisfaction, and health outcomes in all patient populations. The assumption that older patients desire purely directive care is a widespread misconception that is inconsistent with patient-centered care. To better understand how older adults might participate in and benefit from SDM, it is important to examine their preferences for SDM, and their opportunities to participate. This study aimed to analyze health care decision making processes with older and younger patients to point out any inequalities. To examine factors that contribute to SDM preferences, and to assess perceived opportunities for SDM, 96 participants aged 20-79 years were recruited from two medical clinics in Kansas University Medical Center. Participants completed a 45-minute self-report battery. It was hypothesized that individual differences in preference for SDM would be explained by a person’s health anxiety, information monitoring behaviors, self-efficacy of health literacy, and actual health literacy; differences in preference would not be explained by age. It was further hypothesized that perceived opportunities to participate in SDM would be negatively related to age. We found that, as predicted, age was not related to patient preference for SDM. However, health anxiety, information monitoring behaviors, confidence to participate, and health literacy were also found to have no relationship with SDM preferences. Contrary to hypothesis two, we found that all patients perceived equal opportunities to participate in SDM. Follow up analyses were conducted to inspect potential demographic differences of SDM preferences and opportunities.
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Overview -- Review of the literature -- Methodology -- Results -- Discussion -- Appendix
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M.A. (Master of Arts)