Effects of a web-based decision aid regarding diagnostic self-testing. A single-blind randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Consumer Health
• Health Informatics
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Diagnostic self-tests for conditions like cholesterol and diabetes are increasingly available to consumers.
• Assessing the impact of digital health tools on consumer understanding of self-testing is crucial for informed decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an online decision aid in enhancing consumer knowledge regarding cholesterol and diabetes self-testing.
• To determine if this aid influences informed choices among individuals intending to perform these tests.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 1259 consumers from a Dutch Internet panel who intended to use a diagnostic self-test.
• The intervention group accessed an online decision aid with comprehensive information; the control group received a limited information sheet.
• Knowledge levels and informed choice rates were analyzed using multiple regression.

Main Results:

• Consumers using the decision aid showed significantly higher knowledge levels for diabetes self-testing compared to the control group.
• The intervention group also demonstrated a higher likelihood of making an informed choice for diabetes self-tests.
• No significant differences in knowledge or informed choice were observed for cholesterol self-testing between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Online decision aids can effectively improve consumer knowledge and informed decision-making for specific diagnostic self-tests, such as for diabetes.
• Independent, accessible information is vital for consumers considering any diagnostic self-test.
• Further research may explore tailoring decision aids for different types of self-tests.