Constructing a guideline for patients to participate in the medical decision-making process as a member in team-based medicine

• Project/Area Number: 25670254
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Medical sociology
• Research Institution: Kurume University
• Principal Investigator: Yamauchi Keiko 久留米大学, 医学部, 助教 (50304514)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,510,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥810,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000)
• Keywords: 治療に関する意思決定 / 乳がん / フォーカス・グループ・インタビュー / 自己効力感 / 乳癌 / 意思決定 / 満足度 / 早期乳癌 / 乳がんサバイバー / 配偶者のサポート / フォーカスグループインタビュー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study sought to construct an effective intervention method for patients to participate in the medical decision-making process. To explore the behaviors and attitudes of medical decision-making of women with breast cancer, we conducted focus group interviews and an Internet survey. Interviews with survivors showed that women made medical decisions related to breast cancer as rapidly as they were diagnosed. They wanted to have surgery and remove the tumor as soon as possible, minimizing the anxiety and fear caused by cancer. Their interaction with physicians during the medical decision-making process affected both their satisfaction with this process and the cancer treatment they received. The survey results showed that satisfaction with medical decision-making process increased as the efficacy for interaction with their physicians increased. The intervention designed to increase self-efficacy may lead patients to participate medical decision-making.