The investigators aim at comparing the perceived clarity of personal values in men considering PSA screening using decision aids with no VCM versus an implicit VCM versus an explicit VCM. This study will add to the body of evidence on the role of decision aids to support health preference-sensitive choices and provide further insight on the impact of different methods for eliciting people's values embedded within a decision aid.
PSA test to screen for prostate cancer is considered a preference sensitive decision, meaning it does not only depend on what is best from a medical point of view, but also on patient values. Decision aids are evidence-based tools which showed to help people feel clearer about their values, therefore it has been advocated that decision aids should contain a specific values clarification method (VCM). VCM may be either implicit or explicit but the evidence concerning the best method is scarce. We aim at comparing the perceived clarity of personal values in men considering PSA screening using decision aids with no VCM versus an implicit VCM versus an explicit VCM.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
276
The intervention will be an informative evidence-based material in the format of a booklet or website concerning prostate cancer screening. The values clarification method will be a grid where statements about the subject will be presented (decision aid with implicit VCM).
The intervention will be an informative evidence-based material in the format of a booklet or website concerning prostate cancer screening. The values clarification method will be a a grid where statements about the subject will be presented and men should indicate what statements they identify with (decision aid with explicit VCM).
Perceived clarity of personal values
3-item subscale of the Decisional Conflict Scale. Items are given a score of 0 ("strongly agree") to 4 ("strongly disagree"). Items are: a) summed; b) divided 3; and c) multiplied by 25. Scores range from 0 \[feels extremely clear about personal values\] to 100 \[feels extremely unclear about personal values\].
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
Decisional Conflict
Decisional Conflict Scale (16-item). Items are given a score of 0 ("strongly agree") to 4 ("strongly disagree"). Items are: a) summed; b) divided 16; and c) multiplied by 25. Scores range from 0 \[no decisional conflict\] to 100 \[extremely high decisional conflict\].
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
% of patients with preference to undergo PSA screening (screening intention; questionnaire)
Intention to undergo prostate cancer screening with PSA: questionnaire - single question about intention to be screened with PSA, using a 5 point-Likert scale (ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree"; intention to undergo PSA screening will be considered positive if the respondent replies with "agree" or "strongly agree"). % of patients with preference to undergo PSA screening.
Time frame: before and immediately after the intervention
% of patients who underwent PSA screening (questionnaire)
Self-reported PSA screening. Questionnaire - single question. Men will report wether they have or have not underwent PSA screening after the intervention. % of patients who underwent PSA screening
Time frame: 6 months after the intervention
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