title: Exploration of how women make treatment decisions after a breast cancer diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the information needs of women after receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer, investigate how decisions about treatment options are made, and assess personal responses to the decisions made.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mixed-methods approach using quantitative and qualitative data.
  
  
  METHODS
  The University of Kansas Medical Center and Quinn Plastic Surgery Center, both in the midwestern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  102 breast cancer survivors who had completed all forms of treatment for at least three months and less than five years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Phase I participants completed five questionnaires about informational needs, confidence and satisfaction with the decision, decisional regret, and conflict. In phase II, 15 participants were purposively sampled from the 102 survivors to participate in a focus group session. Data analysis included frequencies and multiple regression for phase I and qualitative content analysis for phase II.
  
  
  METHODS
  Informational needs, confidence and satisfaction with the decision, and decisional regret and conflict.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The variables (widowed, confidence and satisfaction with decision, and decisional conflict and regret) significantly (p = 0.01) accounted for 14% of the variance in informational needs. Two themes emerged from the study: (a) feelings, thoughts, and essential factors that impact treatment considerations, and (b) tips for enhancing treatment consideration options.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study's results show that women viewed informational needs as very important in making treatment decisions after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The treatment team should provide the information, with consideration of the patient's personal preferences, that will assist women to make informed, confident, and satisfied decisions about treatment choices.
authors.affiliation: Quinn Plastic Surgery Center, Overland Park, KS, USA. cherylaspittler@aol.com
authors.forename: Cheryl A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Spittler
authors.forename: Leonie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pallikathayil
authors.forename: Marjorie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bott
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D003657:Decision Making; D004522:Educational Status; D004644:Emotions; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D017533:Marital Status; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D057240:Patient Preference; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*