Why Most Australians Consider It Valuable to Find Harmless Abnormalities with Diagnostic Tests: A Mixed-Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Decision Making
• Health Psychology
• Diagnostic Testing

Background:

• Individuals often desire diagnostic testing despite awareness of clinical non-benefit and risks.
• Patient preferences for testing are influenced by beliefs in the inherent value of any information obtained.
• Understanding these preferences is crucial for effective patient counseling and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate Australian adults' attitudes towards identifying harmless abnormalities via diagnostic tests.
• To explore the underlying beliefs associated with these attitudes.
• To identify factors influencing the demand for clinically unbeneficial diagnostic testing.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining survey data analysis.
• Qualitative analysis of free-text responses regarding attitudes to harmless abnormalities.
• Regression analysis to associate attitudes with broader beliefs and demographics.

Main Results:

• Nearly 60% of participants found value in identifying harmless abnormalities.
• Key drivers included perceived psychological reassurance, biodata acquisition, and monitoring potential.
• Skepticism about abnormalities being truly harmless and a belief in the broad utility of testing were significant underlying factors.

Conclusions:

• Patient choices for diagnostic tests are profoundly influenced by broader beliefs and psychological factors, not just clinical utility.
• Existing strategies to communicate test risks may be limited by failing to address these deeper beliefs.
• Future communication should address psychological drivers and broader beliefs to improve patient understanding and decision-making regarding diagnostic tests.