Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41361283›Full record

SynthesisBMC medical informatics and decision making2025

Effects of patient decision aids used pre-consult or in-consult on patient-clinician communication - secondary analysis of a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Bettina Mølri Knudsen, Stine Rauff Søndergaard, Meg Carley, Karina Dahl Steffensen, Dawn Stacey

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC medical informatics and decision making, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Bettina Mølri KnudsenCenter for Shared Decision Making, Lillebaelt Hospital - University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Beriderbakken 4, Vejle, DK-7100, Denmark. Bettina.Knudsen@rsyd.dk.
Stine Rauff SøndergaardDepartment of Oncology, Lillebaelt Hospital - University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Vejle, Denmark.
Meg CarleyMethodological and Implementation Research, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Karina Dahl SteffensenDepartment of Regional Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Dawn StaceyDepartment of Regional Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatient decision aids (PtDAs) provide benefits and risks of options for a specific decision, and help patients clarify their values. This study examined whether the timing of PtDA use—before (pre-consult) or during (in-consult) the clinical encounter—affects patient-clinician communication.

methodsWe conducted a secondary analysis of 209 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the 2024 Cochrane review of PtDAs compared to usual care. Eligible studies measured patient-clinician communication using observer-, patient- or clinician-reported instruments.

resultsThirty-six RCTs met inclusion criteria, reporting on communication outcomes: 21 evaluated pre-consult PtDAs and 15 in-consult PtDAs. Pre-consult PtDAs commonly addressed screening and treatment decisions, often using digital formats. In-consult PtDAs focused on treatment and were mostly paper-based. For pre-consult PtDAs, 68.6% of patients discussed the decision with their clinician versus 50.2% in usual care (p < 0.001), though no difference was found for patient-reported SDM-Q-9 scores. In-consult PtDAs significantly improved communication measured by the observer-rated OPTION12 instrument.

conclusionsThe effects of PtDAs varied by timing and measurement approach, with in-consult PtDAs potentially offering more structured support for shared decision making. No studies directly compared pre- and in-consult PtDAs. Future research should directly compare these approaches and use consistent communication measures.

Indexed as

CommunicationDecision Support TechniquesPatient ParticipationPhysician-Patient RelationsHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSecondary Data AnalysisCommunication outcomesPatient decision aidsShared decision makingTiming of interventions

Identifiers

PMID41361283
PMCPMC12817424

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.