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Aversion to side effects in preventive medical treatment decisions
Erika A Waters1, Neil D Weinstein, Graham A Colditz
1Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, USA. erika.waters@gmail.com
British Journal of Health Psychology
|July 21, 2007
Summary
Fear of side effects significantly reduces willingness to undergo preventive treatments, even when benefits are clear. People struggle to weigh potential harms against benefits, impacting health decisions.
Area of Science:
- Decision Sciences
- Health Psychology
- Risk Communication
Background:
- Individuals often face complex health decisions involving probabilistic outcomes.
- Evaluating preventive treatments requires balancing potential benefits against risks and side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how side effects influence willingness to accept preventive treatments.
- To assess the accuracy of probability evaluations for treatment-related harm.
- To examine the impact of probability format and graphical aids on decision-making.
Main Methods:
- A factorial experiment with 5,251 participants was conducted.
- Participants evaluated a hypothetical cancer prevention treatment scenario.
- Key variables included presence of side effects, initial harm probability, and presentation format.
Main Results:
- Information about side effects significantly decreased willingness to undergo treatment and evaluation accuracy.
- Willingness and accuracy were unaffected by initial harm probability, presentation format (percentages vs. frequencies), or graphical aids.
Conclusions:
- Individuals exhibit strong aversion to preventive treatments with even minor side effects.
- Cognitive difficulties exist in integrating probabilities of positive and negative outcomes for overall benefit assessment.
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