Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
9929139 | The American Journal of Medicine | 2005 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
Ideally, complex decision-making is based on careful consideration of the tradeoffs related to available options. Our findings suggest that patients' treatment decisions are influenced by multiple factors besides the risks and benefits of interferon and ribavirin. By being aware of these factors physicians can improve decision-making in hepatitis C infection by 1) determining whether patients' decisions are biased by heuristics or protect values, 2) understanding how patients' conceptualization of their illness influences their attitudes toward therapy, and by 3) ensuring that patients understand that social responsibilities need not necessarily preclude treatment because therapy can be discontinued if adverse effects become intolerable.
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Authors
Liana MD, MPH, Sarah PhD, Suchat MD, Guadalupe MD,