Controls-Preferences
Figure 2 displays the results of the Controls-Preferences
Scale. While preferences varied, most participants preferred to either
share control or relinquish some or all control to clinicians when
making medical decisions. Four patients (27%) reported wanting to
mostly keep control, which the creators of the scale state is the ideal
place for a patient in order to promote agency in decision-making.
Qualitative results suggested that patients with a family member with
medical expertise felt able to take more control in the decision-making
process, but overall they reinforced predominant preferences to either
share or relinquish control with clinicians. For instance, one patient
stated: “Once I am in the hospital, once I have problems, I don’t
make decisions for myself. I listen to the doctor, whatever the doctor
says. The doctor gives me the way to treat a problem, treat my heart
problem. And they are experts. I have no way to say. So I don’t make the
decision. They make the decision. And all I do is just sign the paper.
That’s all.” -Patient 4