Bmc Med Inform Decis
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Bmc Med Inform Decis · Dec 2012
Development of a decision aid to inform patients' and families' renal replacement therapy selection decisions.
Few educational resources have been developed to inform patients' renal replacement therapy (RRT) selection decisions. Patients progressing toward end stage renal disease (ESRD) must decide among multiple treatment options with varying characteristics. Complex information about treatments must be adequately conveyed to patients with different educational backgrounds and informational needs. Decisions about treatment options also require family input, as families often participate in patients' treatment and support patients' decisions. We describe the development, design, and preliminary evaluation of an informational, evidence-based, and patient-and family-centered decision aid for patients with ESRD and varying levels of health literacy, health numeracy, and cognitive function. ⋯ This rigorously designed decision aid may help patients and families make informed decisions about their treatment options for RRT that are well aligned with their values.