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Logo of bmcmidmBioMed Centralsearchsubmit a manuscriptregisterthis articleBMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
 
BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2012; 12: 26.
Published online 2012 March 29. doi:  10.1186/1472-6947-12-26
PMCID: PMC3349513
Copyright ©2012 Stirling et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
A qualitative study of professional and client perspectives on information flows and decision aid use
Christine Stirling,corresponding author1,7 Barbara Lloyd,2 Jenn Scott,3 Jenny Abbey,4 Toby Croft,5 and Andrew Robinson6
1Private Bag 135 School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hobart University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
2Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Private Bag 23 17 Liverpool Hobart, St, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
3Private Bag 30, School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
4Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
5Department of Psychology, Liverpool St, Hobart, Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Australia
6School of Nursing and Midwifery, Private Bag 121 Hobart, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
7Private Bag 121, Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia 7000
corresponding authorCorresponding author.
Christine Stirling: Christine.Stirling/at/utas.edu.au; Barbara Lloyd: Barbara.Lloyd/at/utas.edu.au; Jenn Scott: Jenn.Scott/at/utas.edu.au; Jenny Abbey: jennyabbey6642/at/gmail.com; Toby Croft: Toby.Croft/at/dhhs.tas.gov.au; Andrew Robinson: Andrew.Robinson/at/utas.edu.au
Received May 19, 2011; Accepted March 29, 2012.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background
This paper explores the meanings given by a diverse range of stakeholders to a decision aid aimed at helping carers of people in early to moderate stages of dementia (PWD) to select community based respite services. Decision aids aim to empower clients to share decision making with health professionals. However, the match between health professionals' perspectives on decision support needs and their clients' perspective is an important and often unstudied aspect of decision aid use.
Methods
A secondary analysis was undertaken of qualitative data collected as part of a larger study. The data included twelve interviews with carers of people with dementia, three interviews with expert advisors, and three focus groups with health professionals. A theoretical analysis was conducted, drawing on theories of 'positioning' and professional identity.
Results
Health professionals are seen to hold varying attitudes and beliefs about carers' decision support needs, and these appeared to be grounded in the professional identity of each group. These attitudes and beliefs shaped their attitudes towards decision aids, the information they believed should be offered to dementia carers, and the timing of its offering. Some groups understood carers as needing to be protected from realistic information and consequently saw a need to filter information to carer clients.
Conclusion
Health professionals' beliefs may cause them to restrict information flows, which can limit carers' ability to make decisions, and limit health services' ability to improve partnering and shared decision making. In an era where information is freely available to those with the resources to access it, we question whether health professionals should filter information.
Keywords: Aged care, Carers, Decision making, Dementia, Qualitative
Articles from BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making are provided here courtesy of
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