Table 2.
Description of the type of preferences investigated in the included studies
| Types of preferences | Definition | Themes | No. of studies | References |
| End-of-life care preferences | Treatment preferences for resuscitation and critical care. Covers all aspects relating to anticipatory decision-making such as advance directives. | Advanced care planning | 51 | 28 32–34 36 39 46 50–52 56 58–81 150 161 169–182 |
| - Life-sustaining treatment preferences | 29 | 28 32–34 36 58–81 | ||
| Self-management preferences | Preferences related to the ongoing activities that an individual undertakes to maintain or reduce the effect of a disease/s on his or her health status. It includes how and under what circumstances, patients prioritise conditions and adjust self-management practices, how priorities might change over time, and how these are discussed with healthcare professionals. |
eHealth support | 2 | 30 104 |
| Prioritisation of health problems | 20 | 30 45 47 54 83–98 | ||
| Medication self-management | 8 | 42 43 47 54 99–102 | ||
| Self-care behaviours | 3 | 44 55 103 | ||
| Revisiting choices | 2 | 29 30 | ||
| Treatment preferences | Preferences that involve a discrete set of effective treatment options (eg, radical mastectomy vs lumpectomy with radiation for localised breast cancer). The treatment options can include any intervention with a therapeutic aim. | Medication | 13 | 37 41–43 47 49 53 54 105–108 |
| Dialysis | 6 | 48 109–113 | ||
| Surgery | 4 | 114–117 | ||
| Chemotherapy | 5 | 35 57 118–120 | ||
| Non-pharmacological/conservative | 3 | 121–123 | ||
| Medication device | 1 | 183 | ||
| Involvement in the shared decision making process preferences | Preferences regarding the degree of involvement in discussions with health professionals about the options for treatment, the benefits and harms of each therapy, and making collaborative decisions about how to proceed. | Patterns of engagement | 21 | 37 41 46 48–52 57 124–133 |
| Patient decision aid | 1 | 56 | ||
| Information | 4 | 39 52 128 134 | ||
| Communication with providers | 1 | 40 | ||
| Healthcare service preferences | Preferences related to the quality of care and the planning and delivery of the services the health system provides. | Processes of care | 10 | 45 135–143 |
| - Site of care | 2 | 138 142 | ||
| - Type of social support | 1 | 139 | ||
| - Type of caregiver/provider | 3 | 135 138 143 | ||
| - Continuity and access | 5 | 45 135–137 | ||
| - Guiding principles | 1 | 141 | ||
| Service models | 2 | 31 144 | ||
| - Chronic care model | 1 | 31 | ||
| - Cardiac rehabilitation | 1 | 144 | ||
| Health outcome prioritisation and goal setting | Preferences regarding personal health and life outcomes (eg, function, social activities and symptom relief) that people hope to achieve through their healthcare. Health outcome goals that patients prioritise within the context of their care preferences. | Life and health goals | 6 | 44 55 145–148 |
| Health outcome prioritisation | 10 | 53 149–155 | ||
| 1 | ||||
| - Preferred tools | 1 | 151 | ||
| Collaborative goal setting | 3 | 103 158 159 | ||
| - Patient, physician, caregiver agreement | 1 | 158 | ||
| Screening and diagnostic tests preferences | Preferences that involve the decision whether or not to undergo a screening or diagnostic test. | Screening test | 1 | 160 |
| - Cancer screening | 1 | 160 |