Evaluating Risk Communication in Treatment Decisions
Author Information
Author(s): Cheryl Carling, Doris Tove Kristoffersen, Jeph Herrin, Shaun Treweek, Andrew D. Oxman, Holger Schünemann, Elie Akl, Victor Montori
Primary Institution: Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services, Oslo, Norway
Hypothesis
Different presentations of treatment effects can influence patient decisions.
Conclusion
Internet-based trials comparing different presentations of treatment effects are feasible, but recruiting participants is a major challenge.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants preferred the relative risk reduction (RRR) presentation over other statistics.
- The odds of deciding to take statins were significantly higher in the RRR group.
- Recruitment challenges were noted in conducting Internet-based trials.
Takeaway
This study looked at how different ways of showing treatment benefits can change people's decisions about taking medicine. It found that people were more likely to choose to take statins when shown certain types of information.
Methodology
An Internet-based randomized trial comparing summary statistics for communicating the effects of statins on coronary heart disease risk.
Potential Biases
Participants with higher education or scientific backgrounds were less likely to decide to take statins.
Limitations
Recruitment of participants was a major challenge, and the applicability of results to different populations is uncertain.
Participant Demographics
58% women, 62% aged 40-59, 47% with 17+ years of education, 84% from the USA.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.0007
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.006 to 0.025
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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