Exploring information provision in reconstructive breast surgery: AÂ qualitative study

- High-quality information is important for decision-making in breast reconstruction.
- This qualitative study explored patients' and surgeons' views of information provision.
- Surgeons & patients disagreed on the adequacy of information for decision making.
- Patients have unmet informational needs.
- Minimum standards of information provision may improve outcomes.

ObjectiveWomen considering reconstructive breast surgery (RBS) require adequate information to make informed treatment decisions. This study explored patients' and health professionals' (HPs) perceptions of the adequacy of information provided for decision-making in RBS.MethodsSemi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of patients who had undergone RBS and HPs providing specialist care explored participants' experiences of information provision prior to RBS.ResultsProfessionals reported providing standardised verbal, written and photographic information about the process and outcomes of surgery. Women, by contrast, reported varying levels of information provision. Some felt fully-informed but others perceived they had received insufficient information about available treatment options or possible outcomes of surgery to make an informed decision.ConclusionsWomen need adequate information to make informed decisions about RBS and current practice may not meet women's needs. Minimum agreed standards of information provision, especially about alternative types of reconstruction, are recommended to improve decision-making in RBS.