Wakako Osaka: Sharing Information and Values

2023/03/13

Our lives are a series of decisions. Over the past three years, influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been many times when I hesitated over choices—such as whether to hold meetings in person or online, or whether or not to go on a trip—even after behavioral restrictions were eased on the Shinanomachi Campus.

In healthcare as well, people often struggle with choices, such as which treatment method to receive or whether or not to undergo a certain treatment (or test). Every choice has its pros and cons and involves uncertainty. Decisions that affect one's life and lifestyle are particularly difficult, and doctors and healthcare professionals also want to make these decisions together with their patients. A breast cancer patient I met through my research activities told me, "Since getting sick, it's been a series of decisions. Once you open one door, another one appears."

I want to improve the quality of decision-making for patients facing difficult medical choices, so I am working on research regarding the development of decision aids (support tools) and the effectiveness of their provision. The aim of a decision aid is to facilitate the process of sharing accurate medical information held by doctors and healthcare professionals with the values held by patients, discussing them, and making a decision. During the development process, many patients cooperated, saying, "I have benefited from previous patients. I want the next patient to receive even better medical care."

In Western countries, decision guides are called "decision aids." Researchers have established an international organization called the International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS) Collaboration to develop international standards for ensuring the quality of decision aids. These international standards have been meticulously examined based on previous research and include several items to reduce information bias. Conversely, it is easy to intentionally present information in a way that encourages the choice of a specific method. Since the judgment of what is best varies from patient to patient, emphasis is placed on creating these aids from a neutral standpoint and involving end-users—both patients and healthcare professionals—in the creation process.

As shared decision-making—the process where patients and healthcare professionals decide together—becomes increasingly important, I believe that decision aids play a vital role in helping patients participate in their medical care independently and in a way that is true to themselves. To advance research in this field, I believe it is important for citizens, patients, healthcare professionals, and researchers to share their information and values as equal partners and work together while learning from one another.