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Verbal Probability Expressions in Peri-operative Risk

NCT03720834 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 347

Last updated 2019-09-18

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Before having an operation doctors use expressions such as high risk, or low risk to describe the chance of complications occurring. Complications include things such as strokes and heart attacks and even death. It is thought that using words like this, instead of percentages makes it easier for patients to understand their level of risk. It is also often hard for a doctor to give a patient an exact percentage.

It is important that patients have a good understanding about their level of risk associated with an operation so they can make informed decisions about whether to go ahead with it. This is an important part of taking consent before an operation.

The aim of this study is to assess whether using expressions such as high risk and low risk to communicate the chance of a complication occurring during an operation is useful.

Different patients may assign different meanings to these expressions. If it is found that patients interpret these expressions differently from how the doctor intended it would suggest that the way doctors communicate risk to patients should be reviewed.

Patients will be asked if they are willing to participate in the study and after giving consent they will complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire will list various expressions used by doctors to describe the chance of a complication occurring during an operation, such as high risk and low risk. Each participant will be asked to give a percentage for each of the expressions. The questionnaire will be completed by patients who are waiting to have an operation at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

Conditions

  • Surgery--Complications
  • Risk Reduction

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    lead OTHER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2018-11-01
Primary Completion
2019-07-21
Completion
2019-07-21

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03720834 on ClinicalTrials.gov