Patients' responsiveness to a decision support tool for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of patients' responsiveness to a decision support tool for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The booklet focuses on barriers at patient level.

METHODS: Process evaluation of an intervention in primary care. Patients at high or potentially high-cardiovascular risk were asked by their GP to prepare themselves for a second consultation in order to participate in decisions on risk management.

OUTCOMES: Patients' actually having read the booklet and returning for the second consultation; comprehension and perceived relevance of the information; perceived reassurance.

RESULTS: 17 GPs, in the intervention arm of a cluster RCT, issued 276 decision support tools during the first consultation and were instructed to ask them to return for a second consultation to discuss their CVD risk. Patients had a mean age of 54 years, 47% were male and 19% actually had a high cardiovascular risk. Data on 239 patients, a mixture of returnees and non-returnees, showed that they all read the booklet; comprehension was fair to good; 85% perceived the information as relevant; 68% of the patients felt reassured by the information. Satisfaction with the first consultation was higher in the non-returnees.

CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular prevention spread over two consultations with use of a decision support tool for patients is not easily applicable for GPs. However, based on the findings of good patients' responsiveness, we recommend further development and implementation of decision support tools in primary care.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Decision support for primary CV-prevention is welcomed by patients but needs further adjustment of both the GP and the organization of CV-prevention in primary care. Sharing information between professional and patient on a personal CV-risk management plan is difficult, more training is needed.