Response of patients to informed consent for excretory urography.
The desirability of obtaining written informed consent for low-risk radiologic procedures has been the subject of controversy. A group of 80 patients was studied to evaluate the effect of informed consent for excretory urograms on: (1) incidence of contrast reactions; (2) discomfort during the procedure; (3) level of patients' anxiety before and after the procedure; (4) patients' perception of the procedure; and (5) desirability of informed consent from the patients' viewpoint. Results revealed no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in the incidence of reactions, discomfort, perception of the examination, or anxiety level prior to the procedure. The informed consent group had a statistically greater factual knowledge of the procedure evaluated objectively (P less than 0.01). Of the patients who received the written consent form, 83% regarded it as helpful and none viewed it as harmful or refused the examination. In the control group, 32% desired more information.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014567:Urography / Q000009:adverse effects