title: Do patients' information requirements for choice in health care vary with their socio-demographic characteristics?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines whether the information used to inform hospital choice, and the sources of that information, varies with patients' socio-demographic characteristics. It also examines whether information used by patients to inform choice is associated with attending their local hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of 1033 patients who were offered a choice of hospital provider for elective treatment in England. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between patient characteristics and information used to inform choice of a hospital provider and sources of information used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Factors most important to patients in choosing a hospital were quality of care, cleanliness, standard of facilities and reputation. While quality of care and related factors are important to the majority of patients, those with lower levels of education were more likely to report that location and appointment times were important. Those who thought quality important were more likely to attend their local hospital provider. The main sources of information used to inform choice of hospital were own experience, family and friends and the general practitioner (GP). Patients who sought advice from their GP or booking advisors were less likely to attend their local hospitals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences among patients as to what factors are important when choosing a hospital provider and what information and support they access suggest there needs to be a variety of information sources and support available to promote choice. Greater shared decision making through active involvement and support by GPs or booking advisors may be required if they are to make choices in line with their preferences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care & Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Laverty
authors.affiliation: King's Fund, London, UK.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care & Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Millett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000191:economics; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012923:Social Class; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: information requirements; patient choice of provider