CLINICAL RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Please note: All posters will be displayed in
Salons 10-12.
FRIDAY, 10:15-11:00 AM
Légaré F, Stacey D, Dodin S*, O'Connor
A, Richer M, Tapp S.
Decision support for menopausal women considering the
use of natural health products: a needs assessment with proposed interventions.
Centre de recherche de L'Hopital St-Fran¨ois-D'Assise
France.Legare@mfa.ulaval.ca
*Presenting author
CONTEXT: Menopausal middle-aged women are the
largest group of natural health products (NHPs) users. Lack of scientific
information about the efficacy of most NHPs is recognized as a source
of difficulty when making decisions about using NHPs. However, it is
unclear if other factors influence women's decision making regarding
the use of NHPs.
PURPOSE: To identify the decision support needs
of women regarding the use of NHPs and potential interventions to support
effective decision making including roles of various players (e.g.,
patients, physicians, nurses, community groups, store owners, pharmacists).
METHODS: Design: Exploratory theory-driven
qualitative study. Setting: Two communities: one Anglophone and
one Francophone. Participants: Women aged 45 to 64 years and
purposeful sampling of key informants (e.g., pharmacists, family physicians,
gynaecologists, community-based groups, NHP store owners, scientists
with primary research interests in the areas of complementary medicine
and nutrition). Instruments: Interview guide, focus group guide,
demographic survey. Main and secondary outcome measures: Content
analysis based on the Ottawa Decision Support Framework to identify
the most frequent difficult decisions, sources of difficulty, roles
of various players in decision making, suggested resources for effective
decision support, and strategies for translating NHP evidence for these
women.
RESULTS: Six (6) focus groups and fifteen (15)
key informant interviews were conducted. The main difficult decision
identified was to use NHPs or not. The most frequently identified sources
of difficulty when making this decision were: lack of scientific information,
distorted information, and limited financial means. Suggested resources
needed to support decision making included a website, a flyer with reliable
information distributed through health care clinics, multidisciplinary
centres with access to knowledgeable professionals, and guidelines from
the government.
CONCLUSIONS: Middle-aged women reported experiencing
difficulty when making decisions to use NHPs. The decision support intervention
in development will focus on improving the decision-making process,
including a value-clarification exercise, and helping in the desired
role identification.
Back