Blalock, Susan J, Sage, Adam, Bitonti, Michael et al. (3 more authors) (2016) Communicating information concerning potential medication harms and benefits:What gist do numbers convey? Patient Education and Counseling. pp. 1964-1970. ISSN 0738-3991
Abstract
Objectives Fuzzy trace theory was used to examine the effect of information concerning medication benefits and side-effects on willingness to use a hypothetical medication. Methods Participants (N = 999) were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Using 3 × 5 experimental research design, each participant viewed information about medication side effects in 1 of 3 formats and information about medication benefits in 1 of 5 formats. For both side-effects and benefits, one format presented only non-numeric information and the remaining formats presented numeric information. Results Individuals in the non-numeric side-effect condition were less likely to take the medication than those in the numeric conditions (p < 0.0001). In contrast, individuals in the non-numeric benefit condition were more likely to take the medication than those in the numeric conditions (p < 0.0001). Conclusions Our findings suggest that non-numeric side-effect information conveys the gist that the medication can cause harm, decreasing willingness to use the medication; whereas non-numeric benefit information has the opposite effect. Practice implications Presenting side-effect and benefit information in non-numeric format appears to bias decision-making in opposite directions. Providing numeric information for both benefits and side-effects may enhance decision-making. However, providing numeric benefit information may decrease adherence, creating ethical dilemmas for providers.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Fuzzy trace theory,Gist,Medications,Risk communication |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Hull York Medical School (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 27 Jul 2017 09:30 |
Last Modified: | 02 Apr 2025 23:10 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2016.07.022 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.pec.2016.07.022 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:119573 |
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