Choices: An Interactive Decision Support Program for Breast Cancer Treatment
Abstract
This project is developing a computer-assisted prototype of an individualized decision support system, called Choices, to assist women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in making stressful treatment decisions in a non-threatening, self-paced, and individualized manner. Using a multimedia CD-ROM format, Choices provides an innovative approach to personalized decision making by incorporating unique features currently un available in existing programs. The Choices program is a joint venture among a multidisciplinary group of scientists at the University of Michigan who bring their respective expertise to the complex problem of helping patients make effective decisions under stressful and threatening circumstances. Specifically, Choices has the following unique features: (1) the program is designed to be user- friendly and comfortable for women of all ages and education levels, (2) an assessment of the decision maker's personal decision style will be used to set the structure of the program, (3) the program will consider the cognitive demands of the decision maker in this health care context by assessing the capacity for directed attention, (4) it goes beyond eliciting personal values and preferences by providing solutions to common decision failures, and (5) provides an opportunity for pre-decision rehearsal of different options to avoid unexpected decision outcomes or negative emotional responses.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA369255
Entities
People
- Penny F. Pierce
Organizations
- University of Michigan