Publications
Publications
- Patient Education and Counseling
Decisions about Medication Use and Cancer Screening across Age Groups in the United States
By: Kathleen M. Fairfield, Bethany S. Gerstein, Carrie A. Levin, Vickie Stringfellow, Heidi Wierman and Mary McNaughton-Collins
Abstract
Objective
To describe decision process and quality for common cancer screening and medication decisions by age group.
Methods
We included 2941 respondents to a national Internet survey who made at least one decision about colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer screening, blood pressure or cholesterol medications. Respondents were queried about decision processes.
Results
Across the five decisions considered, decision process scores were similar (and generally low) across age groups for medication and cancer screening, indicating that all groups had poor involvement in medical decision making. Overall knowledge scores were low across age groups, with elderly (75+) having slightly higher knowledge about medications vs. younger respondents. Elderly respondents reported similar goals and concerns when making decisions, though placed greater importance of having peace of mind from a normal result for cancer screening vs. younger respondents.
Conclusion
Across age groups, respondents reported poor decision processes about common medications and cancer screening, despite little evidence of benefit for some interventions (cancer screening, cholesterol lowering medicines in low risk elderly) and possibility of harm in the elderly.
Practice implications
Particular care should be taken to help patients understand both benefit and risk of screening tests and routine medications.
To describe decision process and quality for common cancer screening and medication decisions by age group.
Methods
We included 2941 respondents to a national Internet survey who made at least one decision about colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer screening, blood pressure or cholesterol medications. Respondents were queried about decision processes.
Results
Across the five decisions considered, decision process scores were similar (and generally low) across age groups for medication and cancer screening, indicating that all groups had poor involvement in medical decision making. Overall knowledge scores were low across age groups, with elderly (75+) having slightly higher knowledge about medications vs. younger respondents. Elderly respondents reported similar goals and concerns when making decisions, though placed greater importance of having peace of mind from a normal result for cancer screening vs. younger respondents.
Conclusion
Across age groups, respondents reported poor decision processes about common medications and cancer screening, despite little evidence of benefit for some interventions (cancer screening, cholesterol lowering medicines in low risk elderly) and possibility of harm in the elderly.
Practice implications
Particular care should be taken to help patients understand both benefit and risk of screening tests and routine medications.
Keywords
Citation
Fairfield, Kathleen M., Bethany S. Gerstein, Carrie A. Levin, Vickie Stringfellow, Heidi Wierman, and Mary McNaughton-Collins. "Decisions about Medication Use and Cancer Screening across Age Groups in the United States." Patient Education and Counseling 98, no. 3 (March 2015): 338–343.