Decision aids do improve patients' decision making

Decision aids do improve patients' decision making

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 increasinganxiety. The systematic review by O'Connor et al (p 731) alsofound that decision aids had little effect on satisfaction andan inconsistent effect on patients' decisions. The trials of decisionaids focused on hormone therapy, circumcision, screening for cancerand genetic disorders, and treatments for prostate cancer, breastcancer, and heart disease. The results consistently showed thatdecision aids were better than usualpractice.