Are decision aids leading to shared prostate cancer screening decisions among African-American men?: iDecide

Purpose African-Americans have prostate cancer mortality rates that are double their White counterparts. To reduce prostate cancer disparities, it is suggested that men engage in shared decision making about prostate cancer screening with their healthcare provider after learning about the benefits and harms of these screenings. While researchers have developed decision aids to support African-American's screening decisions, there is some uncertainty whether these aids lead to shared decision making. The goal of the current study was to investigate the efficacy of iDecide, a computerized decision aid, for promoting African-American men's engagement in shared decision making. Methods Six months after their use of iDecide, a prostate cancer screening decision aid, 76 participants were surveyed to determine whether they spoke with a provider about screening, what this conversation entailed, and if shared decision making occurred. Results While iDecide is an effective tool for enhancing African-American's intention to engage in shared decision making, there is no evidence this aid increased their likelihood of discussing prostate cancer with a provider or participation in shared decision making. Conclusion Future research should employ stronger research designs and assess the various contexts that can affect the relationship between decision-aid use and shared decision making among African-Americans.