Use of implicit persuasion in decision making about adjuvant cancer treatment: A potential barrier to shared decision making

abstract:
Use of implicit persuasion in decision making about adjuvant cancer treatment: A potential barrier to shared decision making

Highlights

Section 1: What is already known on this subject.

•

Shared decision-making (SDM) is widely advocated, especially when there is no obvious best treatment option.

•

A prerequisite of SDM is treatment information provision without implicit value judgements, i.e., implicit persuasion.

•

There is no evidence on whether implicitly persuasive behaviours are used in oncological practice, and if so, which.

Section 2: What this study adds.

•

Implicit persuasion is frequently used, irrespective of expected treatment benefit, and is associated with a greater likelihood of reaching a decision.

•

Clinicians must realize that the use of implicit persuasion can subvert their intent to share decisions with patients.