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Reducing aversion to side effects in preventive medical treatment decisions
Erika A Waters1, Neil D Weinstein, Graham A Colditz
1Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, NJ, USA. erika.a.waters@gmail.com
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Applied
|March 28, 2007
Summary
Graphic displays, like stick figure arrays, can significantly reduce people's aversion to treatment side effects, making them more likely to accept beneficial preventive therapies.
Area of Science:
- Health Communication
- Risk Perception
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Laypeople often exhibit heightened sensitivity to treatment side effects, potentially leading to the rejection of beneficial preventive therapies.
- Understanding and mitigating this side effect aversion is crucial for improving public health adherence.
- Graphic representations of risk data may influence patient decision-making regarding medical treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether graphic displays accompanying numerical risk probabilities can reduce aversion to treatment side effects.
- To explore if visual aids enhance the understanding of how treatments impact net health risks, thereby reducing aversion.
- To assess the effectiveness of different graphic formats (arrays vs. bar graphs) in mitigating side effect aversion.
Main Methods:
- An internet-based study involving 4,248 participants presented with a hypothetical preventive treatment scenario.
- Participants were exposed to either numerical risk probabilities alone or with accompanying graphic displays (stick figure arrays or bar graphs).
- The net absolute risk reduction for the treatment was consistently 12% across all conditions.
Main Results:
- The inclusion of stick figure arrays significantly reduced side effect aversion compared to numerical probabilities alone.
- Bar graphs did not demonstrate a significant benefit in reducing side effect aversion.
- The reduction in aversion attributed to arrays was not explained by improved accuracy in evaluating the treatment's net benefit.
Conclusions:
- Visualizing risk probabilities using simple arrays can be an effective strategy to decrease aversion to treatment side effects.
- The format of graphic displays is critical; stick figures were beneficial, while bar graphs were not.
- Strategies to reduce side effect aversion should focus on clear, impactful visual communication rather than solely relying on numerical data.
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