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Trials of aids to help patients consider the benefits and harms
of medical treatments show that they improve patients' knowledge, comfort, and participation in decision making without increasing anxiety. The systematic review by O'Connor et al (p 731) also found
that decision aids had little effect on satisfaction and an
inconsistent effect on patients' decisions. The trials of decision aids focused on hormone therapy, circumcision, screening for cancer and
genetic disorders, and treatments for prostate cancer, breast cancer,
and heart disease. The results consistently showed that decision aids
were better than usual practice.