The implications of race and ethnicity for shared decision-making

Shared Decision Making is an innovative health-care approach gaining ground as part of the shift toward patient-centered medicine. It involves collaboration and discussion between doctors and patients to arrive at mutually satisfying treatment decisions. It places a strong emphasis on the therapeutic alliance, empowering patients to play an active role in their own care.

In this article, the author argues that research and development vis-à-vis shared decision-making must take serious account of ethno-racial status as a mediating variable. This may be a powerful determinant of broad orientations toward medical decision-making.

Medline was used to extract relevant papers which were analyzed and intertwined with the author's existing knowledge of relevant sociological and anthropological evidence and theory.

Specific proposals are made for a research agenda ensuring that ethno-racial issues are considered as a departure point rather than an afterthought in shared decision making model development.