Table 3.
Patient preferences for information and involvement in decision making
| Older group n (%) | Younger group n (%) | P-valuea | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference for information about illness | 0.03 | ||
| As much information as possible, good and badb | 17 (50) | 25 (76) | |
| Only the information needed to care for self properly | 4 (12) | 6 (18) | |
| Additional information only if it is good news | 3 (9) | 0 (0) | |
| Leave it up to the doctor | 10 (29) | 2 (6) | |
| Preference for detailed information about chemotherapy | 0.17 | ||
| Would like or need to have all detailed informationb | 21 (60) | 25 (76) | |
| Does not want all detailed information | 14 (40) | 8 (24) | |
| Preference for treatment decision making | 0.12 | ||
| Shared responsibility with doctor for decisionsb | 13 (37) | 14 (42) | |
| Select treatment by self after seriously considering doctor’s opinionb | 5 (14) | 9 (27) | |
| Make final selection of treatment by selfb | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | |
| Doctor makes final decision but considers their opinion | 11 (31) | 7 (21) | |
| Leave all decisions about treatment to doctor | 6 (17) | 3 (9) | |
Notes:
a
P-values based on χ2 tests;
b
indicates grouping for significance testing of proportions.