Impact of a shared decision-making program on patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia

To determine patient views about the Shared Decision-Making Program (SDP), an interactive videodisk program designed to inform patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) about their condition and treatment options and to determine its impact on perceived knowledge and treatment preference.

Six hundred seventy-eight patients with symptomatic BPH from eight Canadian centers viewed the SDP. Before and after viewing the video, patients answered questionnaires designed to assess treatment preference, knowledge gained, and satisfaction with this educational format. A 1-year follow-up survey was also conducted.

Most patients showed a high desire for information and high satisfaction with the SDP; this satisfaction persisted at 1 year. Patients' self-reported knowledge increased significantly (P <0.0001). However, the SDP did not alter initial treatment preferences among those with already formed preferences, although it aided almost half of those initially undecided in forming a preference. Viewing the SDP also appeared to enhance the physician-patient relationship.

Patients saw the SDP as an effective method for teaching patients about BPH and the risks and benefits of various treatments, clarifying particular areas about which many patients appear to have a desire for more information than is often provided. Patients were enthusiastic about the educational value of the program, and their active participation in the decision-making process may actually enhance the physician-patient relationship. Contrary to other studies, we found no significant alterations in treatment preferences. Problems relating to the cost and timely updating of the software need to be addressed for these kinds of programs to realize their full potential.