Information needs and decision-making processes in older cancer patients

The paper provides an overview of age-differences in patients’ preferences for participation in cancer treatment decision-making and factors that relate to these age-differences. On average, older cancer patients prefer to receive less information about their illness and treatment and assume a less...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Critical reviews in oncology/hematology 2004-07, Vol.51 (1), p.69-80
Main Authors: Pinquart, Martin, Duberstein, Paul R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age Factors
Age-differences
Analysis of Variance
Biological and medical sciences
Decision Making
Female
Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases
Humans
Information needs
Male
Medical decision-making
Medical sciences
Neoplasms - psychology
Neoplasms - therapy
Outpatients
Patient Participation
Patients’ preferences
Quality of life
Sex Factors
Sick Role
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Summary:The paper provides an overview of age-differences in patients’ preferences for participation in cancer treatment decision-making and factors that relate to these age-differences. On average, older cancer patients prefer to receive less information about their illness and treatment and assume a less active role in making treatment decisions. They are also less likely to collect and analyze all relevant information in order to make an optimal decision. Observed age-differences are, in part, explained by age-associated cognitive decline. Age-differences are, on average, small to moderate, and most older patients prefer to be well-informed. Nonetheless, only a minority of them wishes to play an active role in decision-making. Given their lower preference for active participation in decision-making, older adults may show less positive psychological effects of active participation, but this question warrants research. Implications for working with older cancer patients are discussed.
ISSN:1040-8428
1879-0461
DOI:10.1016/j.critrevonc.2004.04.002