Older Adults Reluctant to Question Surgical Treatment (HealthDay)

FRIDAY, Aug. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Older patients and surgeonsdon't communicate effectively when discussing surgical treatment options,even though the decision to have surgery can be particularly difficult andconfusing for seniors, says an Indiana University School of Medicinestudy.

The researchers recorded patient-surgeon consultations and laterinterviewed the patients about their concerns and whether they discussedthose worries with the surgeon. The study found that older patients raisedonly about half of their concerns when talking with the surgeon.

"Unexpressed concerns are challenging, because they can lead todifferent expectations and understanding of the problems patients areconcerned about and treatment recommendations that are poorly tailored topatient needs," study author Richard M. Frankel, a professor of medicine,said in a university news release.

If concerns aren't expressed, "physicians will have little chance tocorrect or modify them. Unfortunately, unexpressed concerns may contributeto breakdowns in communication which are frustrating for both physiciansand patients," he added.

Most (84 percent) of the concerns expressed by older adults in thestudy were related to the surgery itself. Other major concerns included:quality of life after surgery; the post-surgery care facility; and thetiming of the surgery.

Only 16 percent of concerns were related to the surgeons, includingdoubts about competency and the perception that surgeons tend to promotesurgery as the only real treatment option.

While surgeons generally respond well to concerns raised by patients,the study found that patients may be highly selective about which concernsthey mention.

"Knowing that older adults frequently don't voice all their concernsshould help surgeons create opportunities for patients who are reluctantto bring them up," Frankel said.

The study was published in the July issue of The Journal of Bone andJoint Surgery.

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about .