title: Information needs and decision-making processes in older cancer patients.
abstract: The paper provides an overview of age-differences in patients' preferences for participation in cancer treatment decision-making and factors that relate to these age-differences. On average, older cancer patients prefer to receive less information about their illness and treatment and assume a less active role in making treatment decisions. They are also less likely to collect and analyze all relevant information in order to make an optimal decision. Observed age-differences are, in part, explained by age-associated cognitive decline. Age-differences are, on average, small to moderate, and most older patients prefer to be well-informed. Nonetheless, only a minority of them wishes to play an active role in decision-making. Given their lower preference for active participation in decision-making, older adults may show less positive psychological effects of active participation, but this question warrants research. Implications for working with older cancer patients are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University, Am Steiger 3 Haus 1, D-07743 Jena, Germany. martin.pinquart@rz.uni-jena.de
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinquart
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Duberstein
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010045:Outpatients; D010358:Patient Participation; D012737:Sex Factors; D012803:Sick Role