Table 3

Four general practitioner (GP) approaches to communication about prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in clinical interactions

Be screened interactions
GP’s primary goal:

  • GP strongly believed that the man should be screened

  • GP’s goal is to convince the man to screen

 Do not be screened interactions
GP’s primary goal:

  • GP strongly believed that the man should not be screened

  • GP’s goal is to convince the man not to screen

Information provided by GP:

  • GP’s personal judgement about the value of PSA screening

  • GP either tailored information provided to men to encourage men to be screened or did not provide information (provided only encouragement to be tested)

Information provided by GP:

  • GP’s personal judgement about the harms/downsides of PSA screening

  • GP either tailored information provided to men to discourage screening or did not provide information (provided only encouragement to avoid testing)

Type of understanding that GP considered adequate:

  • Gist understanding of information provided

Type of understanding that GP considered adequate:

  • Gist understanding of information provided

Analyse and choose interactions
GP’s primary goal:

  • GP may personally support testing or not testing

  • Despite their personal beliefs about testing, GP’s goal is to help the man to make his own informed decision

 As you wish interactions
GP’s primary goal:

  • GP may or may not have a strong position on the value of PSA screening

  • GP’s goal is simply to follow the man’s expressed preference

Information provided by GP:

  • GP aimed to provide a comprehensive and impartial summary of best available evidence

Information provided by GP:

  • GP provided little information

Type of understanding that GP considered adequate:

  • GP’s goal was to ensure men developed detailed understanding of their options, to make own informed decision

Type of understanding that GP considered adequate:

  • Ensuring men understood was not a priority for the GP; in some cases, GP perceived men to have already made a screening choice based on personal preference or gist understanding