Informed consent for colonoscopy. A prospective study.

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Health Communication
• Patient-Physician Relationship

Background:

• Informed consent is standard in medicine, but patient autonomy's practical application in decision-making is unclear.
• The physician-patient relationship is often characterized by autonomy or paternalistic models.
• Colonoscopy provides a suitable context to examine patient involvement in medical decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the extent of patient autonomy in medical decision-making during informed consent.
• To assess patient preferences for involvement in treatment decisions.
• To understand physicians' perceptions of patient autonomy.

Main Methods:

• Prospective survey of 102 outpatients undergoing colonoscopy.
• Survey of 16 physicians involved in colonoscopy procedures.
• Analysis of patient and physician perspectives on decision-making roles.

Main Results:

• A majority of patients preferred receiving guidance from their physicians.
• Most physicians did not perceive their patients as fully autonomous.
• The paternalistic model appears to remain influential in physician-patient interactions for this procedure.

Conclusions:

• Physician-patient dynamics in colonoscopy decision-making lean towards paternalism.
• Patient desire for guidance coexists with physician perceptions of limited patient autonomy.
• Further research is needed to fully integrate patient autonomy into everyday medical practice.