title: Cancer patients' control preferences in decision making and associations with patient-reported outcomes: a prospective study in an outpatient cancer center.
abstract: "Shared decision making" has been proposed as a prerequisite of patient-centered care. However, little is known on factors, which may influence cancer patients' decision control preferences (DCP) in routine care. This study investigated possible determinants of the patients' DCP with respect to patient characteristics and patient-reported outcomes (PROs).
  
  
  
  Consecutive patients presenting at a comprehensive cancer center between May 2014 and October 2014 were offered a self-administered electronic questionnaire including standardized PRO measures and patients' DCP. Results were linked with patient characteristics from the hospital information system and analyzed using cross-sectional methods.
  
  
  
  Out of 126 patients participating, 102 (81%; 65% male; mean age 62 years) completed the DCP-item. Overall, 49% (n = 50) preferred shared treatment decision responsibility, 29% (n = 30) preferred to leave the control to his/her physician, whereas 22% (n = 22) preferred to be in control of his/her treatment decision. Higher age (p = 0.035) and elevated distress levels (p = 0.038) were significantly associated with an increased willingness to leave the decision control to the physician. Further sociodemographic and PRO measures were not associated with patients' DCP.
  
  
  
  Our findings demonstrate that DCP assessment in routine cancer care is possible and provides important information to the treating oncologist. Information on DCP combined with PRO may contribute to more individualized decision making in cancer care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.|Clinic of Internal Medicine II, HELIOS Hospital Emil von Behring, Walterhöferstraße 11, 14165, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik III, Campus Großhadern, Klinikum der Universität München: Wilhelm Löhe Hochschule, Merkurstraße 41 / Südstadtpark, 90763, Fürth, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schildmann
authors.affiliation: Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. freya.trautmann@uniklinikum-dresden.de.|National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. freya.trautmann@uniklinikum-dresden.de.
authors.forename: Freya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trautmann
authors.affiliation: University Cancer Center, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Leopold
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hentschel
authors.affiliation: University Cancer Center, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hornemann
authors.affiliation: University Cancer Center, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rentsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.|University Cancer Center, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ehninger
authors.affiliation: Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.|National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.|University Cancer Center, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmitt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making / Q000379:methods*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000071066:Patient Reported Outcome Measures; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Decision control preference; Electronic assessment; Oncology; Patient care; Patient-reported outcomes; Routine care