Cancer patient autonomy support associated with higher decision quality scores

Patients with breast cancer who have more options and power over the decisions about their treatment and management tend to report less psychological or psychiatric morbidity, as well as higher levels of satisfaction with the quality of their care.

This American study, which analysed information from a large diverse population data set, from the iCanCare Study, explored the proposition that newly diagnosed women with breast cancer who reported higher levels of support for their independence of will and preferences would similarly report improved quality of choice.

Data from 1,690 women who completed various survey measures, including a decision quality score for surgery, were analysed. The study sample were predominantly white (55%), with black women the next largest group (17%), 17% were Hispanic and