[Decision Aids for Patients Are Widely Accepted by German Urologists : A survey Among Members of the German Society of Urology (DGU) and the Federation of German Urologists (BDU)]

Overview

Journal Urologe A

Specialty Urology

Date 2016 Mar 13

PMID 26969330

Citations 3

Authors

C Groeben

M Baunacke

A Borkowetz

S Kliesch

C Wulfing

A Ihrig

J Huber

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Treatment decision making remains a complex task for localized prostate cancer. Decision aids for patients can support the medical consultation. However, it is not known if German urologists accept decision aids for patients. Comparative data exist from a current survey among american urologists and radio oncologists.

Materials And Methods: From October through November 2014 we conducted an online survey consisting of 11 multiple-choice questions and an optional free text commentary among the members of DGU and BDU. All data was processed anonymously. We received 464 complete responses for a 6.6 % return rate. For group comparison we applied the Chi2-test.

Results: Respondents' median age was 50 (range 26-87) years and 15 % were female. 7 % were residents, 31 % employed at a clinic, and 57 % in private practice. Due to the low response rate of younger colleagues the results were not representative for the basic population. Regardless of age (p = 0.2) and professional environment (p = 1) shared decision making was preferred by 89 %. When counseling their patients with localized prostate cancer 20 % relied exclusively on conversation. To support their conversation 63 % used print media, 49 % decision aids, 33 % contact offers to support groups, 24 % Internet resources and 13 % video material. From using decision aids 86 % expected positive effects for patients and 78 % for physicians (p = 0.017). 15 % expected a change of the treatment decision. 77 % would motivate their patients to use a decision aid.

Conclusions: In comparison to the opinion of american urologists and radio oncologists the acceptance of decision aids for patients among German urologists is significantly higher.

Citing Articles

Power asymmetry and embarrassment in shared decision-making: predicting participation preference and decisional conflict.

Scherer K, Budenbender B, Blum A, Grune B, Kriegmair M, Michel M BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2025; 25(1):120.

PMID: 40065322 PMC: 11892210. DOI: 10.1186/s12911-025-02938-4.

Shared Decision-making in Urologic Practice: Results From the 2019 AUA Census.

Lane G, Ellimoottil C, Wallner L, Meeks W, Mbassa R, Quentin Clemens J Urology. 2020; 145:66-72.

PMID: 32771404 PMC: 7658013. DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2020.06.078.

[Evaluation of the decision aid "Entscheidungshilfe Prostatakrebs" from the patients' view : Results from the first three months].

Groeben C, Ihrig A, Holscher T, Krones T, Kessler E, Kliesch S Urologe A. 2016; 55(12):1586-1594.

PMID: 27826660 DOI: 10.1007/s00120-016-0265-4.

[German urologists are open to new ways of making wise decisions].

Wirth M, Michel M Urologe A. 2016; 55(6):783.

PMID: 27193462 DOI: 10.1007/s00120-016-0112-7.

References

Violette P, Agoritsas T, Alexander P, Riikonen J, Santti H, Agarwal A . Decision aids for localized prostate cancer treatment choice: Systematic review and meta-analysis. CA Cancer J Clin. 2015; 65(3):239-51. DOI: 10.3322/caac.21272. View

Ihrig A, Keller M, Hartmann M, Debus J, Pfitzenmaier J, Hadaschik B . Treatment decision-making in localized prostate cancer: why patients chose either radical prostatectomy or external beam radiation therapy. BJU Int. 2011; 108(8):1274-8. DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10082.x. View

von Rundstedt F, Roth S, Degener S, Lazica D, Schroeder A, Mathers M . [Nation-wide questionnaire of cathether use in Germany]. Urologe A. 2015; 54(4):542-7. DOI: 10.1007/s00120-014-3703-1. View

Hamann J, Bieber C, Elwyn G, Wartner E, Horlein E, Kissling W . How do patients from eastern and western Germany compare with regard to their preferences for shared decision making?. Eur J Public Health. 2011; 22(4):469-73. DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckr112. View

Chewning B, Bylund C, Shah B, Arora N, Gueguen J, Makoul G . Patient preferences for shared decisions: a systematic review. Patient Educ Couns. 2011; 86(1):9-18. PMC: 4530615. DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2011.02.004. View

Gillitzer R, Hampel C, Thomas C, Schmidt F, Melchior S, Pahernik S . [Therapy choices of German urologists and radio-oncologists if personally diagnosed with localized prostate cancer]. Urologe A. 2009; 48(4):399-407. DOI: 10.1007/s00120-008-1928-6. View

Thompson I, Thrasher J, Aus G, Burnett A, Canby-Hagino E, Cookson M . Guideline for the management of clinically localized prostate cancer: 2007 update. J Urol. 2007; 177(6):2106-31. DOI: 10.1016/j.juro.2007.03.003. View

OConnor A, Llewellyn-Thomas H, Sawka C, Pinfold S, To T, Harrison D . Physicians' opinions about decision aids for patients considering systemic adjuvant therapy for axillary-node negative breast cancer. Patient Educ Couns. 1997; 30(2):143-53. DOI: 10.1016/s0738-3991(96)00948-2. View

Hauck E, Bschleipfer T, Haag S, Rohde V, Weidner W . [Assessment among German urologists of various conservative treatment modalities for Peyronie's disease. Results of a survey]. Urologe A. 2005; 44(10):1189-92, 1193-6. DOI: 10.1007/s00120-005-0867-8. View

10.

Lenz M, Buhse S, Kasper J, Kupfer R, Richter T, Muhlhauser I . Decision aids for patients. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2012; 109(22-23):401-8. PMC: 3389744. DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2012.0401. View

11.

Degner L, Sloan J . Decision making during serious illness: what role do patients really want to play?. J Clin Epidemiol. 1992; 45(9):941-50. DOI: 10.1016/0895-4356(92)90110-9. View

12.

Jang T, Bekelman J, Liu Y, Bach P, Basch E, Elkin E . Physician visits prior to treatment for clinically localized prostate cancer. Arch Intern Med. 2010; 170(5):440-50. PMC: 4251764. DOI: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.1. View

13.

Groeben C, Streuli J, Krones T, Keck B, Wirth M, Huber J . [Treatment of nonmetastatic prostate cancer: a systematic review of interactive, personalized patient decision aids]. Urologe A. 2014; 53(6):854-64. DOI: 10.1007/s00120-014-3529-x. View

14.

Huber J, Ihrig A, Huber C, Hadaschik B, Pahernik S, Hohenfellner M . [Patient centeredness and decision-making in localised prostate cancer: possible fields of health services research in urology]. Urologe A. 2011; 50(6):691-6. DOI: 10.1007/s00120-011-2587-6. View

15.

Huber J, Ihrig A, Peters T, Huber C, Kessler A, Hadaschik B . Decision-making in localized prostate cancer: lessons learned from an online support group. BJU Int. 2010; 107(10):1570-5. DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2010.09859.x. View

16.

Stacey D, Legare F, Col N, Bennett C, Barry M, Eden K . Decision aids for people facing health treatment or screening decisions. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014; (1):CD001431. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001431.pub4. View

17.

Huber J, Ihrig A, Winkler E, Brechtel A, Friederich H, Herzog W . Interdisciplinary counseling service for renal malignancies: a patient-centered approach to raise guideline adherence. Urol Oncol. 2014; 33(1):23.e1-23.e7. DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2014.10.017. View

18.

Heidenreich A, Bastian P, Bellmunt J, Bolla M, Joniau S, van der Kwast T . EAU guidelines on prostate cancer. part 1: screening, diagnosis, and local treatment with curative intent-update 2013. Eur Urol. 2013; 65(1):124-37. DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2013.09.046. View

19.

Wang E, Gross C, Tilburt J, Yu J, Nguyen P, Smaldone M . Shared decision making and use of decision AIDS for localized prostate cancer : perceptions from radiation oncologists and urologists. JAMA Intern Med. 2015; 175(5):792-9. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.63. View

20.

Nolke L, Mensing M, Kramer A, Hornberg C . Sociodemographic and health-(care-)related characteristics of online health information seekers: a cross-sectional German study. BMC Public Health. 2015; 15:31. PMC: 4312446. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1423-0. View