The Attitude-Behavior Discrepancy in Medical Decision Making

BACKGROUND: In medical practice, the dissatisfaction of patients about medical decisions made by doctors is often regarded as the fuse of doctor-patient conflict. However, a few studies have looked at why there are such dissatisfactions. OBJECTIVES: This experimental study aimed to explore the discrepancy between attitude and behavior within medical situations and its interaction with framing description. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 450 clinical undergraduates were randomly assigned to six groups and investigated using the classic medical decision making problem, which was described either in a positive or a negative frame (2) × decision making behavior\attitude to risky plan\attitude to conservative plan (3). RESULTS: A discrepancy between attitude and behavior did exist in medical situations. Regarding medical dilemmas, if the mortality rate was described, subjects had a significant tendency to choose a conservative plan (t = 3.55, P < 0.01) yet if the survival rate was described, there was no such preference (t = -1.48, P > 0.05). However, regardless of the plan chosen by the doctor, the subjects had a significant opposing attitude (P < .05). Framing description had a significant impact on both decision making behavior and attitude (t (behavior) = -3.24, P < 0.01；t (attitude to surgery) = 4.08，P < 0.01；t (attitude to radiation) = -2.15，P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A discrepancy of attitude-behavior does exist in medical situations. The framing of a description has an impact on medical decision-making.