Decision-making preferences and information needs among Greek breast cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed at assessing Greek breast cancer patients' preferences for participation in treatment decision making and their information needs.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study, 329 breast cancer patients were administered at the Control Preferences Scale, a card-sort measurement designed to elicit preferences for participation in decision making. Information needs were assessed with Cassileth's Information Styles Questionnaire.


RESULTS
The majority of patients (71.1%) preferred to play a passive role in treatment decision making, with most of them wanting to delegate responsibility of the decision completely to their doctor (45.3%). A collaborative role was preferred by 24%, whereas only 4.6% chose an active role. Most women expressed a general desire for as much information as possible about their illness (62.6%), but a substantial proportion (37.4%) did not want detailed information; instead, they wished to avoid awareness of bad news. Women who desired less informational details and preferred a passive role requested less frequently a mammography (p<0.001) and/or Pap test (p<0.0005) prediagnostically.


CONCLUSIONS
This study's findings showed that the proportion of patients who wanted to play a passive role in decision making is the highest reported compared to similar studies from other countries, indicating the impact of the dominating paternalistic model of the doctor-patient relationship in the Greek medical encounter. The association of desired information details and decision-making preferences with screening for cancer procedures prediagnostically highlights the significance of providing the patients with the appropriate information and the choices available for their treatment.
Almyroudi
Augoustina
A
Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
Degner
Lesley F
LF
Paika
Vassiliki
V
Pavlidis
Nicholaos
N
Hyphantis
Thomas
T
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000523:psychology