대학생들의 공동의사결정(Shared Decision Making) 참여 선호도에 대한 인식 및 태도 조사: 부산 소재 2개 대학을 중심으로*

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine Korean college students’ attitudes and preferences toward shared decision-making (SDM).

Methods: Questionnaires were collected from 142 college students in Korea. Subjects were asked about four main items: (1) attitudes toward SDM; (2) experiences with SDM; (3) preferences for treatment decision-making for four diseases; (4) barriers to SDM.

Results: It was found that 78% of the participants had never heard of SDM and 61% indicated that the doctor-patient relationship is paternalistic. The majority of subjects believed that the final treatment decision should be made by doctors and patients together. While 39% of subjects said that their doctors had asked them to participate in treatment decision-making, only 10% of subjects felt that their doctors actually wanted them to participate in SDM. The type of disease in question had no effect on the subjects’ preferences for treatment decisionmaking; all subjects expressed a preference for playing a collaborative role in the decisionmaking process. Furthermore, subjects believed that when patients and physicians disagree on treatment options, patient preferences should take precedence. Finally, subjects indicated that the main factors impeding SDM are (a) a lack of information about prognosis (28%), (b)beliefs about doctors’ sole authority for treatment decision (25%), (c) the lack of consultation time with doctors (19%), (d) the difficulties of understanding medical terms, and (e) the scarcity of available opportunities for participation in SDM.

Conclusion: Although most subjects in this study were not familiar with SDM, they showed high preferences for it. Additionally, subjects did not feel that their doctors often used shared decision making. Physicians in Korea should make greater efforts to engage in SDM with their patients.