What factors are associated with a woman's decision to take hormone replacement therapy? Evaluated in the context of a decision aid.
OBJECTIVE
To understand the factors associated with a post-menopausal woman deciding to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after reviewing a decision aid (DA) and having a counselling visit with her physician as well as the factors associated with the act of taking HRT 2 months after the counselling interview.


METHODS
A secondary analysis of data collected for a randomized controlled trial evaluating two DAs.


RESULTS
Although 28% of women were uncertain regarding their decision after the counselling interview, only 2.4% of women, at the assessment at 2 months, had not made a decision. The most significant factor associated with the decision to take HRT, after the physician visit, was the physician preference (OR: 62, 95% CI: 13.3, 289.7). Physician preference (OR: 78, 95% CI: 6.2, 975) remained the most significant factor for taking HRT 2 months after the counselling interview followed by low uncertainty about the decision (OR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.7).


CONCLUSIONS
Physician preference was the factor that was most associated with the woman's decision following counselling and 2 months later. Qualitative evaluation of the interview process involving the patient and physician would determine whether the patient and physician are reaching a shared decision or is the physician preference influencing the patient.
Clark
Heather D
HD
Department of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. hclark@ohri.ca
O'Connor
Annette M
AM
Graham
Ian D
ID
Wells
George A
GA
D002170:Canada; D003376:Counseling; D003657:Decision Making; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D035501:Uncertainty