Vasectomy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vasectomy, including details on procedure, risks, statistics, contraception, reversal.

Assessment of needs of men for decision support on male sterilization.

Baldé A, Légaré F, Labrecque M

PRISM-Guinée, BP 3064 Conakry, Guinea.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the needs of men for decision support on male sterilization. METHODS: Forty-two men facing a decision about undergoing a vasectomy or not and 11 physicians who perform vasectomy were interviewed to assess the sources of difficulty in this decision-making process. On the day of their vasectomy, 209 men completed the decisional conflict scale (DCS) and a knowledge test. RESULTS: Sources of difficulty about the decision to have a vasectomy or not included: lack of information about risks and benefits, clarification of personal values concerning parenthood after the vasectomy, and undue pressure from partner. On the day of their vasectomy, only 1.9% (95% confidence interval 0.5-4.8%) of men had unresolved decisional conflict. However, most men scored poorly on their knowledge test mean score (58.2+/-13.5%). CONCLUSION: Men facing the decision about having a vasectomy or not would benefit from a decision support intervention that would address conflicting information and clarification of values. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Health professionals should provide decision support to men facing the decision about having a vasectomy or not. A decision aid on male sterilization would be useful in this respect.

Published 11 October 2006 in Patient Educ Couns, 63(3): 301-7.
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