Decision support for breast cancer screening decisions: A single case pre-/post-test study

Canadian guidelines recommend shared decision making for women under 50 years old considering breast cancer screening. Nurses can support women for making these decisions. This single case pre-/post-test study measured change in decisional conflict after decision support for a woman under 50 years old considering whether or not to initiate mammography screening. At baseline, a 44-year-old female at average risk of breast cancer was experiencing decisional conflict. She scored 1 out of 4 on the SURE test indicating feeling uninformed, unclear values, and inadequate support. After using a breast cancer screening decision aid and discussing the decision with the nurse trained in decision coaching, she scored 4 on the SURE test indicating no decisional conflict. She reached an informed decision consistent with her values about mammography screening. Providing decisional support improved her knowledge, reduced her decisional conflict, and enhanced her confidence in making an informed decision that was consistent with her values.