Evaluation of Information Sources in Plastic Surgery Decision-making

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Patient Education
• Health Communication

Background:

• Patients increasingly access diverse online resources for plastic surgery information before consultations.
• The precise influence of these external sources on patient decision-making is not well-defined.
• Understanding patient information-seeking behaviors is crucial for effective surgical consultations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of various information sources in plastic surgery patient decision-making.
• To identify patient motivations for seeking information outside of surgeon consultations.
• To explore demographic variations in the perceived value of different information sources.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to patients undergoing breast reconstruction, reduction, and abdominoplasty.
• Information source helpfulness and motivations for seeking information were assessed.
• Ordinal logistic regression analyzed the impact of patient characteristics on source helpfulness.

Main Results:

• Internet searches and social networks were primary pre-consultation sources; plastic surgeons were most valued post-consultation.
• Most patients (73.5%) continued seeking external information after their initial surgical appointment.
• Plastic surgeons were ranked highest in helpfulness (4.28/5), followed by web-based platforms (3.73) and the general internet (3.6).

Conclusions:

• Patients utilize a range of sources, including the internet and social media, before and after consulting a plastic surgeon.
• While plastic surgeons are the most trusted source, supplementary information is still sought for various reasons.
• Surgeons should acknowledge demographic differences in patient perceptions of information sources to enhance patient education.