ABSTRACT
Considering patients’ inputs and preferences in clinical decision making improves patients’ involvement and health care results. But not much has been explored about the reasons of that. Here I suggest that this process involves a social exchange situation so research on health care decision making could benefit from the organizational psychology and the psychology of justice theoretical framework.
In this work I will discuss the characteristics of health care services and the shared decision making processes that form a social situation directly linked to a conceptual framework informed by the psychology of justice. For example, justice theories suggest that the level of uncertainty felt by patients might be a key moderating variable in this context.
Participating in health decision making would be expected to increase perceived procedural justice. Perceiving fairness suggests, first, that outcomes are predictable, controllable and benign; and second, that there is social connection and inclusion in groups. Those are desirable states if we want to promote adherence to healthy behaviors. Also, previous research has found that people prefer to have a voice even if they know that they cannot influence their results.
Approaching research on shared health care decision-making considering the literature on procedural justice and the psychology of voice can enrich the explanations and refine the application of health care practices.
