TY - JOUR
T1 - Association Between Clinician Confidence and Making Guideline-Recommended Decisions in the Management of Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Results
T2 - Confidence and Knowledge in Abnormal Cervical Screen Management: Dang et al.
AU - Dang, Tin H.
AU - Rieu-Werden, Meghan L.
AU - Kobrin, Sarah C.
AU - Tiro, Jasmin A.
AU - Werner, Claudia
AU - Lykken, Jacquelyn M.
AU - Chubak, Jessica
AU - Atlas, Steven J.
AU - Higashi, Robin T.
AU - Lee, Simon C.
AU - Haas, Jennifer S.
AU - Skinner, Celette Sugg
AU - Silver, Michelle I.
AU - Feldman, Sarah
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Society of General Internal Medicine 2024.
PY - 2024/12
Y1 - 2024/12
N2 - Background: Guidelines for managing abnormal cervical cancer screening results are complex and adherence is challenging for clinicians. Previous studies have identified gaps in knowledge as a possible cause; few have explored the confidence clinicians have in their management decisions. Confidence in decision-making may influence management practices, particularly when guidelines are complex and evolving. Objective: Assess whether confidence in decision-making is associated with making guideline-concordant recommendations for abnormal cervical cancer screening results. Design: A clinician survey used vignettes to ask clinicians to make a management recommendation for different abnormal results and rate their level of confidence in their response. Participants: Physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) at three diverse health systems in Washington, Texas, and Massachusetts. Main Measures: Correct response to each vignette based on either the 2012 or 2019 American Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) management guidelines. Key Results: In total, 501 clinicians completed the survey between October and December 2020 (response rate 53.7%). Overall, most clinicians made guideline-recommended management decisions for two vignettes (73.2 and 73.7%), but fewer were confident in their selection (48.3% and 46.6%, respectively). Clinicians who reported high levels of confidence were more often correct than those who reported lower levels of confidence (85.8% vs. 62.2% and 87.5% vs. 60.7%, both p<0.001). After adjusting for clinician and practice characteristics, confidence remained significantly associated with selecting the correct answer. Conclusions: Clinician confidence in management decisions for abnormal cervical cancer screening results was significantly associated with knowing guideline-concordant recommendations. Given the complexity of cervical cancer management guidelines, solutions to improve clinician confidence in decision-making are needed.
AB - Background: Guidelines for managing abnormal cervical cancer screening results are complex and adherence is challenging for clinicians. Previous studies have identified gaps in knowledge as a possible cause; few have explored the confidence clinicians have in their management decisions. Confidence in decision-making may influence management practices, particularly when guidelines are complex and evolving. Objective: Assess whether confidence in decision-making is associated with making guideline-concordant recommendations for abnormal cervical cancer screening results. Design: A clinician survey used vignettes to ask clinicians to make a management recommendation for different abnormal results and rate their level of confidence in their response. Participants: Physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) at three diverse health systems in Washington, Texas, and Massachusetts. Main Measures: Correct response to each vignette based on either the 2012 or 2019 American Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) management guidelines. Key Results: In total, 501 clinicians completed the survey between October and December 2020 (response rate 53.7%). Overall, most clinicians made guideline-recommended management decisions for two vignettes (73.2 and 73.7%), but fewer were confident in their selection (48.3% and 46.6%, respectively). Clinicians who reported high levels of confidence were more often correct than those who reported lower levels of confidence (85.8% vs. 62.2% and 87.5% vs. 60.7%, both p<0.001). After adjusting for clinician and practice characteristics, confidence remained significantly associated with selecting the correct answer. Conclusions: Clinician confidence in management decisions for abnormal cervical cancer screening results was significantly associated with knowing guideline-concordant recommendations. Given the complexity of cervical cancer management guidelines, solutions to improve clinician confidence in decision-making are needed.
KW - cancer prevention
KW - cancer screening
KW - cervical cancer
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85199895228&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11606-024-08943-z
DO - 10.1007/s11606-024-08943-z
M3 - Article
C2 - 39060782
AN - SCOPUS:85199895228
SN - 0884-8734
VL - 39
SP - 3217
EP - 3224
JO - Journal of general internal medicine
JF - Journal of general internal medicine
IS - 16
M1 - 100153
ER -