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. 2010 Feb 23;11:2. doi: 10.1186/1472-6939-11-2

Table 4.

Are there aspects of the consent process that are inappropriate or unnecessary?

Percentage of participants who agreed (n) Percentage of participants who disagreed (n)
No Question Surgery Anaesthesia Surgery Anaesthesia
1 Most patients trust their doctor to decide what is best for them 22 (13) 18 (16) 68 (40) 60 (53)
2 Most patients depend on their doctor to make the decision for them 19 (11) 19 (17) 61 (36) 52 (46)
3 Disclosing information about potentially harmful risks may be worrying and disadvantageous for the patient 22 (13) 22 (20) 66 (39) 55 (49)
4 Informing patients about details of alternative treatment modalities may be confusing 20 (12) 38 (34) 66 (39) 42 (37)
5 Discussion of risks during informed consent may dissuade the patient from undergoing a procedure that may benefit them 17 (10) 30 (27) 64 (38) 45 (40)
6 Most patients do not usually understand all the information given to them during the process of consent 36 (21) 37 (33) 46 (27) 38 (34)
7 Most patients do not usually remember all the information given to them during the process of consent 56 (33) 55 (49) 27 (16) 26 (23)