Results from a randomized trial of a web-based, tailored decision aid for women at high risk for breast cancer

ObjectiveTo assess the impact of Guide to Decide (GtD), a web-based, personally-tailored decision aid designed to inform women's decisions about prophylactic tamoxifen and raloxifene use.MethodsPostmenopausal women, age 46-74, with BCRAT 5-year risk ≥1.66% and no prior history of breast cancer were randomized to one of three study arms:intervention (n = 690), Time 1 control (n = 160), or 3-month control (n = 162). Intervention participants viewed GtD prior to completing a post-test and 3 month follow-up assessment. Controls did not. We assessed the impact of GtD on women's decisional conflict levels and treatment decision behavior at post-test and at 3 months, respectively.ResultsIntervention participants had significantly lower decisional conflict levels at post-test (p < 0.001) and significantly higher odds of making a decision about whether or not to take prophylactic tamoxifen or raloxifene at 3-month follow-up (p < 0.001) compared to control participants.ConclusionGtD lowered decisional conflict and helped women at high risk of breast cancer decide whether to take prophylactic tamoxifen or raloxifene to reduce their cancer risk.Practice implicationsWeb-based, tailored decision aids should be used more routinely to facilitate informed medical decisions, reduce patients' decisional conflict, and empower patients to choose the treatment strategy that best reflects their own values.