Patients' responsiveness to a decision support tool for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases in primary care.
OBJECTIVE
Assessment of patients' responsiveness to a decision support tool for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The booklet focuses on barriers at patient level.


METHODS
Process evaluation of an intervention in primary care. Patients at high or potentially high-cardiovascular risk were asked by their GP to prepare themselves for a second consultation in order to participate in decisions on risk management.


RESULTS
Patients' actually having read the booklet and returning for the second consultation; comprehension and perceived relevance of the information; perceived reassurance.


RESULTS
17 GPs, in the intervention arm of a cluster RCT, issued 276 decision support tools during the first consultation and were instructed to ask them to return for a second consultation to discuss their CVD risk. Patients had a mean age of 54 years, 47% were male and 19% actually had a high cardiovascular risk. Data on 239 patients, a mixture of returnees and non-returnees, showed that they all read the booklet; comprehension was fair to good; 85% perceived the information as relevant; 68% of the patients felt reassured by the information. Satisfaction with the first consultation was higher in the non-returnees.


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiovascular prevention spread over two consultations with use of a decision support tool for patients is not easily applicable for GPs. However, based on the findings of good patients' responsiveness, we recommend further development and implementation of decision support tools in primary care.


CONCLUSIONS
Decision support for primary CV-prevention is welcomed by patients but needs further adjustment of both the GP and the organization of CV-prevention in primary care. Sharing information between professional and patient on a personal CV-risk management plan is difficult, more training is needed.
van Steenkiste
Ben
B
Centre for Quality of Care Research, School for Public Health and Primary Care (Caphri), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Ben.vanSteenkiste@hag.unimaas.nl
van der Weijden
Trudy M
TM
Stoffers
Jelle H E H
JH
GROL
Richard P T M
RP
D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010174:Pamphlets; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires