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Postgrad Med J 2002;78:543-544 doi:10.1136/pmj.78.923.543
  • Short report

How informed is consent? Understanding of pictorial and verbal probability information by medical inpatients

  1. R Fuller1,
  2. N Dudley1,
  3. J Blacktop2
  1. 1Elderly Services, St James’s Hospital, Leeds LS7 9TF, UK
  2. 2School of Computing and Mathematics, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr Fuller;
 Ftworf{at}aol.com
  • Received 17 May 2002
  • Accepted 29 May 2002

Abstract

Understanding probability information about treatment risks and benefits is a vital component of patients’ decision making capacity. This study demonstrates extensive misunderstanding of verbal descriptions of probability by medical inpatients of all ages, questioning the extent of their capacity for giving informed consent. Pictorial descriptions of probability were well understood, suggesting their adoption into clinical practice.

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