Doctor attitudes to shared decision making

To survey medical practitioners in oncology in Australia to identify current practice and views concerning shared decision-making.  Data collection includes both quantitative and qualitative methodologies seeking to elicit the following:

i)    To retrieve information concerning oncologists’ perception of the meaning of shared decision-making.
ii)   To identify perceived skills and qualities required in eliciting shared decision-making.
iii)  To identify perceived barriers to shared decision making in practice.
iv)  To identify oncologist comfort levels with different decision making styles.
v)   To retrieve information concerning consultation styles currently in practice.

We surveyed cancer clinicians across Australia from August 2004 to May 2006 to document their use of different decision making approaches and discover their attitudes towards sharing treatment decision making with patients.  Medical and radiation oncologists, haematologists and surgeons practicing mainly in oncology across Australia specializing in managing people with 5 tumour types (breast, colorectal, gynaecological, haematological and urological cancers), were invited to participate in the study.  624 completed questionnaires were collected.  Qualitative interviews are currently being undertaken with a subset representing each tumour type and each approach to decision making.  These will explore in more depth rationale for clinicians approach to involving patients in treatment decisions.

Funding: Unfunded PhD project

Optimal coding for shared decision making

This study involves coding of audiotaped consultations of 60 early breast cancer tapes patients using three different systems for SDM (from Canada, UK, Australia) – correlations explored; then coded using relational / emotional cues coding. Patient outcomes (satisfaction, decisional conflict, psych adjustment) related to coding.

Funding: Unfunded