Modeling the decision to undergo colorectal cancer screening: insights on patient preventive decision making.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Little is known about how patients decide whether or not to undergo colorectal cancer screening. Although low screening rates evidence the outcome of these decisions, the processes patients use to balance benefits, risks, and costs with their own values and preferences are unclear. To increase screening rates, and ultimately save lives, it is important for providers to be aware of how patients make screening decisions.

OBJECTIVES:
The purpose of this study was to identify patterns of patient colorectal cancer screening decisions that might be supported by health care providers.

POPULATION:
In this study, we focused on people from Central Kentucky--a region with historically low screening rates.

METHOD:
We interviewed patients using a semi-structured format. Three members of the research team independently analyzed each interview transcript for factors that influenced the decision, and a pictorial representation of each decision process, based on Kurt Lewin's theory of decision making, was constructed for each participant. The individual decision processes were compared with identify patterns.

RESULTS:
Seventeen women and 13 men made up the sample. We discerned 7 decision patterns.

CONCLUSIONS:
This research documents 7 patterns and identifies common driving and restraining forces.

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Author information

Author/s: Wackerbarth, Sarah B (SB); Peters, Jane C (JC); Haist, Steven A (SA);

Affiliation: Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0027, USA. sbwack0@uky.edu

Grants: 1 R21 CA102349-01 (Agency:United States NCI)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Medical care (Med Care), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Sep; vol 46 (issue 9 Suppl 1) : pp S17-22

Dates: Created 2008/08/26; Completed 2008/09/25;

PMID: 18725828, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Med Care. 2008 Sep;46(9 Suppl 1):S5-9. (PMID: 18725833)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aged
Attitude to Health
Colorectal Neoplasms - diagnosis; psychology
Decision Making
Female
Humans
Kentucky
Male
Mass Screening - methods; psychology

Mass Screening - methods; psychology
Middle Aged
Outcome Assessment (Health Care)
Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data
Patient Education as Topic
Patient Participation - statistics & numerical data
Patient Satisfaction - statistics & numerical data
Physician-Patient Relations
Questionnaires

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