title: Older adults newly diagnosed with symptomatic myeloma and treatment decision making.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the preferences for participation in decision making of older adult patients newly diagnosed with symptomatic myeloma and to explore the association between sociodemographic variables and decisional role preferences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, cross-sectional design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants' homes and two large academic cancer centers in Seattle, WA, and Chicago, IL.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 20 older adults (60 years of age and older) with symptomatic myeloma diagnosed within the past six months.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Control Preferences Scale was administered followed by an in-person, one-time, semistructured interview.
  
  
  METHODS
  Role preferences for participation in treatment decision making, age, gender, race, work status, personal relationship status, education, and income.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-five percent of the participants preferred a shared role with the physician and 40% preferred to make the decisions after seriously considering the opinion of their physicians. Only one participant preferred to leave the decision to the doctor, as long as the doctor considered the patient's treatment preferences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study findings indicate that older adults newly diagnosed with myeloma want to participate in treatment decision making. Oncology nurses must respect the patient's desired role preference and oncology clinicians must listen to the patient and allow him or her to be autonomous in making treatment decisions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses and other oncology clinicians can elicit a patient's preferred level of participation in treatment decision making. Oncology nurses can make sure patients receive disease- and treatment-related information, encourage them to express their decisional role preference to the physician, develop a culture of mutual respect and value their desire for autonomy for treatment decision making, acknowledge that the right to make a treatment choice belongs to the patient, and provide support during treatment decision making throughout the care continuum.
authors: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Northwestern University Medical Faculty Foundation, Chicago, IL.
authors: Joseph D
authors: JD
authors: Tariman
authors: School of Nursing, University of Washington in Seattle.
authors: Ardith
authors: A
authors: Doorenbos
authors: School of Nursing, University of Washington in Seattle.
authors: Karen G
authors: KG
authors: Schepp
authors: Multiple Myeloma Program in the Division of Hematology and Oncology, Northwestern University.
authors: Seema
authors: S
authors: Singhal
authors: Phyllis F. Cantor Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.
authors: Donna L
authors: DL
authors: Berry
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations
keywords: decision making; decisional role preferences; multiple myeloma; patient education