How Much Information Is Too Much? An Experimental Examination of How Information Disclosures May Unintentionally Encourage the Withholding of Health Information

Abstract

IntroductionInformation disclosures are used in medicine to provide patients with relevant information. This research examines whether patients are less likely to discuss medical conditions with their physicians after seeing an insurance information disclosure.MethodsThree experimental studies with nonprobability online samples (ntotal = 875 US adult participants) examined the impact of information disclosures on patients’ likelihood of disclosing symptoms to providers, using new symptoms and preexisting chronic conditions. The effects of insurance disclosures were also compared to those of pharmaceutical discount disclosures.ResultsThese studies demonstrate that information disclosures can result in unintended consequences for patients and providers. Results showed that information disclosures about insurance claims significantly negatively affected willingness to discuss health information with providers. This effect was consistent for both new health concerns, b = −0.661, P < 0.001 (study 1, n = 250) and b = −0.893, P < 0.001 (study 3, n = 375), as well as chronic conditions, b = −1.175, P < .001 (study 2, n = 250); all studies were conducted in January 2023. Information provided to patients about pharmaceutical savings did not similarly affect willingness to discuss symptoms with providers.LimitationsThese were experimental studies with hypothetical scenarios. Future research is needed to understand how patients react to information disclosures in a physician’s office. Future research is also needed to examine the role of specific wording and tone used in information disclosures.ConclusionsPrior research has shown that patients prefer more information and to be involved in their medical decisions; however, these studies demonstrate that some information disclosures can discourage full communication between patients and physicians.ImplicationsThis research has important implications for the potential consequences of information disclosures in health care settings. Information disclosures should be presented in a way that will not discourage candid discussions of patient symptoms.HighlightsThis research found that information disclosures about insurance claims can negatively affect patient willingness to discuss health information with providers. Information disclosures may sometimes fall short of their intended purpose of aiding patient decisions with the goal of improved well-being. When information disclosures are focused on warning about potential new costs, patients may feel uncomfortable discussing new symptoms with their providers. Findings suggest patients may often be more concerned with costs than with addressing their ongoing health problems.