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PubMed2006

Game relativity: how context influences strategic decision making.

Existing models of strategic decision making typically assume that only the attributes of the currently played game need be considered when reaching a decision. The results presented in this article demonstrate that the so-called "co-operativeness" of the previously played prisoner's dilemma games influence choices and predictions in the current prisoner's dilemma game, which suggests that games are not considered independently. These effects involved reinforcement-based assimilation to the previous choices and also a perceptual contrast of the present game with preceding games, depending on the range and the rank of their co-operativeness. A. Parducci's (1965) range frequency theory and H. Helson's (1964) adaptation level theory are plausible theories of relative judgment of magnitude information, which could provide an account of these context effects.

Association Learning↗

PubMed2006

Involve the patient and pass the MRCGP: investigating shared decision making in a consulting skills examination using a validated instrument.

BACKGROUND: Shared decision making is an important aspect of patient centredness. Lack of this consulting behaviour is a common reason for failure in the Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) consulting skills examination. AIM: To investigate candidates' performance in shared decision making and overall performance in the MRCGP consulting skills assessment compared with an independently validated measure, the OPTION ('observing patient involvement') scale. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: MRCGP examination, UK. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred and fifty-two consultations submitted by 36 GPs submitting seven consultations per videotape. METHOD: A stratified sample of 63 candidates, 21 each from fail, pass and merit selected from candidates in the MRCGP consulting skills examination, were approached for participation. Participants' examination videotapes were independently assessed for shared decision making using the OPTION scale by two non-clinical raters. RESULTS: Thirty-six candidates (of 63; 57%) who participated were no different from non-participants. Candidates who passed the 'sharing management options' in the MRCGP had significantly higher OPTION scores than those who did not (35.4 versus 27.3; mean difference = 8.1, P = 0.044). There was a significant difference between OPTION scores of MRCGP candidates with 'fail' and 'pass' (including pass with merit): 28.6 versus 36.1, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.13 to 13.87. Scores decreased as clinician age increased but were not significantly associated with sex of GP, age or sex of patient or consultation duration. The probability of passing the MRGCP increased as OPTION scores increased. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated concurrent validity of the MRCGP consulting skills assessment of sharing management options against an independent validated instrument for shared decision making, the OPTION scale. Candidates who performed best in the MRCGP exhibited high scores with OPTION. This study provides the basis for further work to demonstrate evidence for the potential of training for professional assessment to improve consulting competence.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

End-of-life decision-making in six European countries: descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Empirical data about end-of-life decision-making practices are scarce. We aimed to investigate frequency and characteristics of end-of-life decision-making practices in six European countries: Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. METHODS: In all participating countries, deaths reported to death registries were stratified for cause (apart from in Switzerland), and samples were drawn from every stratum. Reporting doctors received a mailed questionnaire about the medical decision-making that had preceded the death of the patient. The data-collection procedure precluded identification of any of the doctors or patients. All deaths arose between June, 2001, and February, 2002. We weighted data to correct for stratification and to make results representative for all deaths: results were presented as weighted percentages. FINDINGS: The questionnaire response rate was 75% for the Netherlands, 67% for Switzerland, 62% for Denmark, 61% for Sweden, 59% for Belgium, and 44% for Italy. Total number of deaths studied was 20480. Death happened suddenly and unexpectedly in about a third of cases in all countries. The proportion of deaths that were preceded by any end-of-life decision ranged between 23% (Italy) and 51% (Switzerland). Administration of drugs with the explicit intention of hastening death varied between countries: about 1% or less in Denmark, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland, 1.82% in Belgium, and 3.40% in the Netherlands. Large variations were recorded in the extent to which decisions were discussed with patients, relatives, and other caregivers. INTERPRETATION: Medical end-of-life decisions frequently precede dying in all participating countries. Patients and relatives are generally involved in decision-making in countries in which the frequency of making these decisions is high.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

The clinical landscape of critical care: nurses' decision-making.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have tended to explore individual characteristics that impact on nurses' decision-making, despite significant acknowledgement that context is a major determinant in decision-making. The few studies that have examined environmental influences have tended not to study real decisions in the dynamic and complex clinical environment. AIMS: To investigate environmental influences on nurses' real decisions in the critical care setting. METHOD: Naturalistic observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 critical care nurses in private, public and rural hospitals. Observations and interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded for themes using content analysis. RESULTS: All clinical decisions were strongly influenced by the context in which the decision was made. Three main environmental influences were identified: the patient situation, resource availability and interpersonal relationships. Time and risk guided all clinical decisions. Nurses established the state of the situation, the time constraints on decisions and the level of risk involved for both patient and nurse. CONCLUSIONS: Decision-making is a manifestation of the landscape and although an increased understanding of the landscape is required, more important is the need to measure the impact of contextual variables on nurses' decision-making in order to improve health care outcomes.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Factors influencing ethical decision making in the home setting.

The process of ethical decision making does not differ according to the patient care setting. However, various factors in home care affect the way in which decisions are made. The factors to consider are the amount of time needed to make a decision, the involvement of the patient and family, the need for support systems, the difficulties with interdisciplinary communication, and the lack of an ethics committee. Recognizing the ways in which these variables affect the decision making can help home healthcare nurses resolve the ethical dilemmas they face. In addition, staff education programs, the use of consultants, and the development of ethics committees are possible strategies to facilitate ethical decision making.

Aged↗

PubMed1982

The effect of work shift on nurses' evaluations of patient behavior: implications for team decision making.

The authors conceptualized multidisciplinary team decision making in terms of information collection, communication, and combination. The study explored the potentially biasing effects of situational variables on information collection. When compared with evening shift nurses, day shift nurses rated patients as much less competent. The authors discuss how this biased information collection can be transmitted throughout the decision process and suggest that more attention be paid to situational influences on information used in team decision making.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2006

Management of oral anticoagulation in a population of children with cardiac disease using a computerised system to support decision-making.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a computerised system to support decision-making concerning the management of warfarin used in maintenance of anti-coagulation. DESIGN: Retrospective case series study comparing manual and computerised records of prescribing. SETTING: A tertiary paediatric cardiology department in a teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: The 26 children receiving warfarin to maintain anticoagulation at the time of introduction of a computerised system to support decision-making. INTERVENTIONS: A rules-based computerised system to support decisions, based on existing departmental guidelines, for management of anticoagulation using warfarin was introduced to aid prescribing physicians. MAIN OUTCOMES: We assessed the stability of the International Normalised Ratio, along with the number of checks made of the ratio, and the adjustments of dosage. Dosages, and recheck interval prescriptions, were compared to the guidelines established by our department. RESULTS: We compared 274 prescriptions made manually, and 608 made using the computerised system to support decision-making, covering periods of 4, and 11, months respectively. The mean proportion of time spent by the patients within their target range for the International ratio was maintained during the period studied, at 76 percent versus 79 percent (p = 0.79). The median number of checks of the ratio made for each patient over a period of 28 days was unchanged, at 1.9 versus 2.1 (p = 0.58). There was a significant change in prescribing practices, which more closely followed the departmental guidelines. CONCLUSION: The introduction of a computerised system to support decision-making maintained the stability of the International ratio using warfarin, without increasing the number of checks or adjustments of dosages, in a point-of-care service for anticoagulation in children.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1992

Decision making during serious illness: what role do patients really want to play?

Two surveys were conducted to determine what roles people actually want to assume in selecting cancer treatments. 436 newly diagnosed cancer patients and 482 members of the general public participated. Preferences were elicited using two card sort procedures, each of which described five potential roles in decision making. Findings suggested that the impact of being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness may influence preferences to participate. The majority (59%) of patients wanted physicians to make treatment decisions on their behalf, but 64% of the public thought they would want to select their own treatment if they developed cancer. Most patients (51%) and members of the public (46%) wanted their physician and family to share responsibility for decision making if they were too ill to participate. Sociodemographic variables accounted for only 15% of variance in preferences. These variables are not particularly useful in making predictions about which groups want more or less active roles in medical decision making.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

A typology of preferences for participation in healthcare decision making.

Classifying patients as "active" or "passive" with regard to healthcare decision making is misleading, since patients have different desires for different components of the decision-making process. Distinguishing patients' desired roles is an essential step towards promoting care that respects and responds to individual patients' preferences. We included items on the 2004 Wisconsin Longitudinal Study mail survey measuring preferences for four components of the decision-making process: physician knowledge of patient medical history, physician disclosure of treatment choices, discussion of treatment choices, and selection of treatment choice. We characterized preference types for 5199 older adults using cluster analysis. Ninety-six percent of respondents are represented by four preference types, all of which prefer maximal information exchange with physicians. Fifty-seven percent of respondents wanted to retain personal control over important medical decisions ("autonomists"). Among the autonomists, 81% preferred to discuss treatment choices with their physician. Thirty-nine percent of respondents wanted their physician to make important medical decisions ("delegators"). Among the delegators, 41% preferred to discuss treatment choices. Female gender, higher educational attainment, better self-rated health, fewer prescription medications, and having a shorter duration at a usual place of care predicted a significantly higher probability of the most active involvement in discussing and selecting treatment choices. The overwhelming majority of older adults want to be given treatment options and have their physician know everything about their medical history; however, there are substantial differences in how they want to be involved in discussing and selecting treatments.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

The development of picture cards and their use in ascertaining characteristics of Chinese surgical patients' decision-making preferences.

AIM: This exploratory pilot study developed and tested the validity of picture cards as a strategy to ascertain patients' desired participation in decision making. These were then used to ascertain characteristics of Hong Kong Chinese patients' decision-making preferences for surgery. VALIDATION OF TOOL: Two sets of analyses tested the validity of picture cards in an Australian and Hong Kong Chinese population. First, the ratings of the two groups of participants using the picture cards for three scenarios (severe, moderate and mild medical conditions) were correlated with mean ratings of three decision-making subscales of a self-report questionnaire for the three scenarios. Second, a 3 (Scenario) x 2 (Ethnic Group) mixed anova examined whether the picture cards are sensitive to differences relating to severity of medical conditions and ethnicity. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of initially 35 Hong Kong and 24 Australian patients was used to validate the picture card tool. A convenience sample of a further 186 Hong Kong Chinese surgical inpatients used the tool. DESIGN: Participants selected the picture card that best represented their decision-making preference. MAIN VARIABLES: Demographic factors, prior knowledge, nature of surgery and preference for participation in decision making. RESULTS: Significant correlations were made between the questionnaire and the picture card tool. Using the tool, a significant difference was found between males' and females' decision-making preference, yet, no significant difference was found with respect to type or previous surgical operation.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Concerned about client decision-making capacity? Considerations for practice.

Many more people are reaching old age than ever before, and older people are increasingly living longer. As the nation experiences this unprecedented growth of older Americans, geriatric case managers are likely to encounter many clients at very advanced ages. Concomitantly, practitioners will confront elders with questionable decision-making capacity, as dementia and other cognitive impairments are more common among the older age groups. These clients pose potential safety and well-being concerns and may be vulnerable to exploitation, neglect, and abuse in their homes. Case managers' responses to such client scenarios may range from little involvement, by acquiescing to the client's right to make autonomous decisions, to resorting to legal action, which may lead to a substantial loss of rights for the elder. This article provides considerations for practice with elders presenting with questionable decision-making capacity and precarious living situations. The distinction between capacity and competency is presented and factors affecting decision making are discussed. Ethical aspects are addressed and the process of assessing capacity is reviewed to enhance case managers' practices in this area.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Decision-making processes following damage to the prefrontal cortex.

Recent work has suggested an association between the orbitofrontal cortex in humans and practical decision making. The aim of this study was to investigate the profile of cognitive deficits, with particular emphasis on decision-making processes, following damage to different sectors of the human prefrontal cortex. Patients with discrete orbitofrontal (OBF) lesions, dorsolateral (DL) lesions, dorsomedial (DM) lesions and large frontal lesions (Large) were compared with matched controls on three different decision-making tasks: the Iowa Gambling Task and two recently developed tasks that attempt to fractionate some of the cognitive components of the Iowa task. A comprehensive battery including the assessment of recognition memory, working memory, planning ability and attentional set-shifting was also administered. Whilst combined frontal patients were impaired on several of the tasks employed, distinct profiles emerged for each patient group. In contrast to previous data, patients with focal OBF lesions performed at control levels on the three decision-making tasks (and the executive tasks), but showed some evidence of prolonged deliberation. DL patients showed pronounced impairment on working memory, planning, attentional shifting and the Iowa Gambling Task. DM patients were impaired at the Iowa Gambling Task and also at planning. The Large group displayed diffuse impairment, but were the only group to exhibit risky decision making. Methodological differences from previous studies of OBF patient groups are discussed, with particular attention to lesion laterality, lesion size and psychiatric presentation. Ventral and dorsal aspects of prefrontal cortex must interact in the maintenance of rational and 'non-risky' decision making.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Decision making as coping.

This article reviews a model of emotional trade-off difficulty in decision making. The model argues that decision makers are motivated to cope with the negative emotion associated with decision-processing operations, notably emotion generated by explicit trade-offs between highly valued attributes. The article begins to explore implications of this model for patient decision making in the cancer control domain. For instance, the model points to emotional reactions to decisions as both a cost and a barrier in the move toward greater patient participation in health care decision making.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2004

Women's preferences for and views on decision-making for diagnostic tests.

It is unclear whether the Control Preferences Scale (CPS) provides a suitable framework for eliciting women's preferences for involvement in decision-making about diagnostic tests. The aims of this study were to assess the appropriateness of the role label approach for eliciting preferences for decision-making about diagnostic tests and to elicit women's preferences for, and views about, decision-making for diagnostic tests. In-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 women who had previously participated in a population-based telephone survey. Analysis of the interview transcripts revealed that qualitative questions may be a more sensitive methodology for eliciting preferences than the role label approach as exemplified by the CPS. The analysis identified a number of issues associated with decision-making for diagnostic tests, including defining what a decision is, the rationale for the preference and factors that influence the preferred role such as the perceived seriousness of the test and potential outcomes. The role label approach used to elicit preferences for involvement in decision-making may be too simplistic. It may not fully capture the complexity of women's thoughts about test decision-making, including how they define a decision and what factors affect their preference.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Decision making of nurses practicing in intensive care in Canada, Finland, Northern Ireland, Switzerland, and the United States.

In this study, our intention was to describe the decision making of nurses practicing in intensive care, and the differences of nurses' decision making in Canada, Finland, Northern Ireland, Switzerland, and the United States. The instrument used in the study was a 56-item Likert-type questionnaire that has been used in previous studies and has proved to be a reliable tool. The target group comprised a nonrandom sample of nurses (N = 314) from five countries. The samples are not representative; therefore, the results in these cases cannot be generalized. The results showed that the decision making of nurses practicing in intensive care was broadly based, and that there were some country differences in data collection, problem definition, and planning. In contrast, decision making related to the implementation and evaluation of nursing is quite similar in the different countries. Canada and the United States on the one hand, and Finland, Northern Ireland, and Switzerland on the other, showed more similarities with each other in data collection, problem definition, and nursing planning related to decision making. Neither experience nor nurse's knowledge structure was associated with different decision-making approaches.

Canada↗

PubMed1996

Treatment decision making in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

The purpose of this study was to explore the hypothesis that women with breast cancer had specific preferences about the degree of control they wanted over treatment decision making. One hundred fifty women, newly diagnosed with breast cancer, were interviewed and their preferences for participation in treatment decision making were established using a measurement tool designed to elicit decision-making preferences (Degner LF, Sloan JF. Decision making during serious illness: What role do patients really want to play? J Clin Epidemiol 1992;45:944-50). Two hundred women with benign breast disease served as a descriptive comparison group. Unfolding theory (Coombs CH. A theory of data. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1964) provided a means of analyzing the data so that the degree of control preferred by each woman could be established. The majority of the newly diagnosed women preferred to play a passive role in treatment decision making, leaving the decision-making responsibility to their physician, whereas the benign control group preferred a collaborative role in which joint decisions could be made between the patient and the physician. The implications of the results for patient participation are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Is informed choice in genetic testing a different breed of informed decision-making? A discussion paper.

Traditionally genetic counselling has promoted a non-directive approach to patients' decision-making but the feasibility of this has been questioned. Unlike most branches of medicine, which are shifting away from a paternalistic model, genetic counselling is approaching shared decision-making from a different perspective. There are certain features of genetic counselling and genetic testing which may complicate the drive towards shared decision-making and informed choice: 1. Genetic test results can have broader implications than non-genetic test results. 2. Genetic test results may be perceived by the patient differently to non-genetic test results. 3. Carrier status for autosomal recessive conditions may be difficult for patients to conceptualize. 4. Decisions in genetic counselling are often multiple and sequential. 5. Most information in genetic counselling is based on probabilities and uncertainties. Each of these features is discussed in relation to achieving shared decision-making in genetic testing and the implications for genetic counsellors are described. The points raised, however, have broader implications for medicine as several of the features, although central to genetic testing, are not entirely unique. Lessons learnt from genetic testing and genetic counselling in achieving shared decision-making could help develop methods of promoting informed choice in other medical arenas such as cancer screening.

Decision Making↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Using vignettes to explore how parents approach end-of-life decision making for terminally ill infants.

With the complexity of technologies in medical centers today, family members are frequently confronted with situations that require decision making on behalf of a loved one. Some researchers have studied the needs of decision makers directly; however, the reality of asking opinions at the bedside of a dying patient makes it a difficult issue to research directly. The vignette method has been used to extrapolate data by asking study participants how they would act under certain circumstances. This vignette-based study explores potential decision-making processes collected from volunteers about how family members might make decisions for a loved one. Ninety-four students were asked to read vignettes as if they were caregivers. Students were randomly assigned to one of three clinical scenarios describing a family member at a critical decision point. The age of the family member, relationship, and medical condition were manipulated in the three otherwise identical scenarios. The results indicated that the ranked responses to the categories were different in the three age-group scenarios. In the group simulating parent decision making for the terminally ill infant, the participants reported "quality of life" and "chance of survival" most frequently as to compared to "pain/comfort" or "family relationships" for older patients. When making decisions in the infant scenario, participants were twice as likely to express religious or spiritual criteria for their decisions and half as likely to express cost concerns. Among the three scenarios, participants simulating family decisions for infants indicated that different caregiving values may apply. They were even more likely than the others to choose mechanical ventilation as an option when the prognosis is extremely poor. All family members making decisions for a loved one, regardless of age or relationship, need supportive assistance from nurses; however, pediatric nurses who develop relationships with parents of terminally ill infants especially need to understand their values in making decisions.

Adult↗