title: Testing the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of a 'decision navigation' intervention for early stage prostate cancer patients in Scotland--a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Does decision navigation (DN) increase prostate cancer patients' confidence and certainty in treatment decisions, while reducing regret associated with the decisions made?
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred eighty-nine newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients were eligible. 123 consented and were randomised to usual care (n = 60) or navigation (n = 63). The intervention involved a 'navigator' guiding the patient in creating a personal question list for a consultation and providing a CD and typed summary of the consultation to patients, the general practitioner and physician. The primary outcome was decisional self efficacy. Secondary outcomes included decisional conflict (DCS) and decisional regret (RS). Measures of mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and adjustment (Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale) were included to detect potential adverse effects of the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ANOVA showed a main effect for the group (F = 7.161, df 1, p = 0.009). Post hoc comparisons showed significantly higher decisional self efficacy in the navigated patients post-consultation and 6 months later. Decisional conflict was lower for navigated patients initially (t = 2.005, df = 105, p = 0.047), not at follow-up (t = 1.969, df = 109, p = 0.052). Regret scores were significantly lower in the navigation group compared to the controls 6 months later (t = -2.130, df = 100, p = 0.036). There was no impact of the intervention on mood or adjustment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to control patients, navigated patients were more confident in making decisions about cancer treatment, were more certain they had made the right decision after the consultation and had less regret about their decision 6 months later. Decision navigation was feasible, acceptable and effective for newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients in Scotland.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hacking
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kosmala-Anderson
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belkora
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McNeill
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003657:Decision Making; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D004644:Emotions; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062526:Patient Navigation / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011581:Psychological Tests; D020377:Self Efficacy