Decision-making Tools for Postmastectomy Breast Reconstruction: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Plastic Surgery
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Breast reconstruction is a critical aspect of post-mastectomy care for breast cancer patients.
• Inadequate patient education is a significant contributor to dissatisfaction with reconstructive outcomes.
• Existing information sources for breast reconstruction vary widely in quality, accuracy, and validity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and evaluate academic and nonacademic resources that support patient decision-making for breast reconstruction.
• To assess the quality and accessibility of available decision-making tools (DMTs).

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of academic databases and social media platforms was performed.
• Keywords were used to identify relevant sources across three academic databases and five social media platforms.
• Three independent reviewers selected and extracted data from sources meeting inclusion criteria.

Main Results:

• 14 academic articles and 9 nonacademic records were included after screening 1172 academic and 1419 nonacademic sources.
• No decision-making tools were found on TikTok or Instagram; 1 from Twitter, 4 from YouTube, and 4 from Google were identified.
• The quality of available decision-making tools was generally good, with high DISCERN scores for academic, Google, Twitter, and YouTube resources.

Conclusions:

• Accessibility and the required search knowledge present significant barriers for patients accessing breast reconstruction decision-making tools.
• Improving the accessibility and awareness of these tools is crucial for facilitating shared decision-making in breast reconstruction care.