Aging and the Desire for Information and Input in Medical Decisions: Patient Consumerism in Medical Encounters

Abstract

Attitudes of 106 rehabilitation medicine patients interacting with doctors indicated that all wanted medical information. Older patients (≥ 60 years of age), however, gave more decision-making authority to doctors and more often brought companions who questioned doctors on their behalf. There were no age differences in patient consumerist communication behaviors, but age was negatively correlated with attitudes challenging physician authority.