Informed consent-patients' understanding of risk

AIMS: The central concept of informed consent is communication of the chance of a successful outcome. The risks and benefits are probabilistic concepts derived from populations; they do not map with any certainty to the individual. We tested patients' comprehension of basic probability concepts that are needed for informed consent. METHODS: Patients (n=478) completed five questions designed to test risk estimates that are relevant to informed consent. The questions posed non-medical scenarios to avoid patients associating them with their clinical care. The questionnaire was in English and was only offered to patients whose nurse felt that they had sufficient English literacy to understand the questions. RESULTS: Out of a possible total of five correct answers, Asian patients scored lowest, and significantly less than Pakeha/Europeans (average total score 2.6 +/- 1.7 vs 3.6 +/- 1.4, p<0.001, 95% confidence interval 0.5 to 1.38). The total score for Maori/Pasifika was intermediate (3.2 +/- 1.4), yet they had the lowest deprivation index. This discordant finding may be due to poorer English literacy among Asian participants. On multiple linear regression, Asian ethnicity and advancing age were the independent predictors of a low score. Socio-economic deprivation decile and sex were not. CONCLUSIONS: When answering questions constructed according to best practice, many (but not all) patients have reasonable risk comprehension. Further improvement could target older patients, those of Asian ethnicity and probably all patients where English is a second language. Liberal use of interpreters is suggested.