Women's preferences for information and complication seriousness ratings related to elective medical procedures.
OBJECTIVE
To study the preferences of patients for information related to elective procedures.


METHODS
A survey was carried out using a sample of 187 women. The majority of whom were on a low-income, who obtained obstetric or gynaecological services at St Joseph Regional Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, while they were in a waiting room.


RESULTS
Many of the complications, including those that are uncommon and less serious, were considered to be relevant to the medical decisions of most patients. Average seriousness ratings associated with complications of various elective procedures were in the range of moderate to high. A frequency of complications of 1:100 or higher would factor into most women's elective treatment decisions. Women indicated a preference for receiving as much or more information pertaining to complications associated with particular elective obstetric or gynaecological procedures as other elective procedures.


CONCLUSIONS
Most women wish to be informed of risks and treatment alternatives, rate many complications as serious, and are likely to use information provided to make elective treatment decisions.
Coleman
P K
PK
Human Development and Family Studies, Bowling Green State University, 16D Family and Consumer Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA. pcolema@bgnet.bgsu.edu
Reardon
D C
DC
Lee
M B
MB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D005791:Patient Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*