Decision aids for benign prostatic hyperplasia: applicability across race and education.
METHODS
Decision aids have not been widely tested in diverse audiences. The authors conducted interviews in a 2 x 2 race by education design with participants who were 50 years old (n = 188). The decision aid was a benign prostatic hyperplasia videotape.


RESULTS
There was an increase in knowledge equal in all groups, with baseline knowledge higher in whites. The decision stage increased in all groups and was equivalent in the marginal-illiterate subgroup (n = 0.15).


CONCLUSIONS
Contrary to expectations, results show no difference by race or college education in knowledge gain or increase in reported readiness to decide. The video appeared to produce change across race and education. The end decision stage was high, especially in less educated men. Results suggest that decision aids may be effective without tailoring, as suggested previously to enhance health communication in diverse audiences. Research should test findings in representative samples and in clinical encounters and identify types of knowledge absorbed from decision aids and whether the shift to decision reflects data/knowledge or shared decision-making message.
Department of Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48823, USA.
David R
DR
Rovner
Celia E
CE
Wills
Vence
V
Bonham
Gilbert
G
Williams
Janet
J
Lillie
Karen
K
Kelly-Blake
Mark V
MV
Williams
Margaret
M
Holmes-Rovner
D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D004522:Educational Status; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D014743:Videotape Recording; D044465:White People