Entertainment education for breast cancer surgery decisions: a randomized trial among patients with low health literacy.

Objective: To evaluate an entertainment-based patient decision aid for early stage breast cancer surgery in low health literacy patients.

Methods: Newly diagnosed female patients with early stage breast cancer from two public hospitals were randomized to receive an entertainment-based decision aid for breast cancer treatment along with usual care (intervention arm) or to receive usual care only (control arm). Pre-decision (baseline), pre-surgery, and 1-year follow-up assessments were conducted.

Preliminary testing of a just-in-time, user-defined values clarification exercise to aid lower literate women in making informed breast cancer treatment decisions.

Objective: To report on the initial testing of a values clarification exercise utilizing a jewellery box within a computerized patient decision aid (CPtDA) designed to assist women in making a surgical breast cancer treatment decision.

Design: Pre-post design, with patients interviewed after diagnosis, and then after completing the CPtDA sometime later at their preoperative visit.

Sample: Fifty-one female patients, who are low literate and naïve computer users, newly diagnosed with early stage breast cancer from two urban public hospitals.