The aim of this article was to determine patients' preferences for a shared or focused consultation style in the decision-making part of a general consultation. Patients had different preferences for participation in decision-making during the consultation. In multiple regression analysis, patients' preferences were found to be independently predicted by the observed problem (patients with physical problems preferred a focused approach), patients' age (patients aged 61 years or older were more likely to prefer a focused approach), social class (social classes I and II were more likely to prefer a shared approach) and smoking status (smokers were more likely to prefer a shared approach). Patients may differ in their willingness to participate in decision-making during consultations. Although this variation seems to depend on the presenting problem, age, social class and smoking status, these associations are not constant. Doctors need the skills, knowledge of their patients and time to identify in which situations, with which diseases and at what level their patients want to participate in decision-making.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0738399106002291?via%3Dihub