Decision making and information seeking preferences among psychiatric patients

Background: The degree to which psychiatric patients want to play a role in decision making and their desire for information regarding their treatment has not been studied in detail.Aims: To measure the information seeking and decision-making preferences of psychiatric patients.Method: The Autonomy Preference Index (API) was adapted for use in psychiatry and administered to patients of a community mental health team (CMHT) and mental health user groups.Results: Desire for information regarding their illness and treatment was very high. There was a great variation in the extent patients wanted to make decisions regarding their care. Desire for decision making was greater for the young and for those in employment.Conclusions: Psychiatric patients want a high degree of information regarding their psychiatric care. Most patients wanted to play some role in decision making.Declaration of interest: The project was jointly funded by East Cornwall Community Mental Health Team and Cornwall Mental Health Forums.