For example, reproductive technologies are progressing rapidly, offering those who are infertile a puzzling array of choices. The answer is no. Such questions are at the heart of the Center for Health and Community Center where social, behavioral and policy scientists work together to contribute to a new, more comprehensive understanding of problems of health, illness and health care. With this project, we hope that we can provide prospective parents and their health care providers with useful information to enrich the decision-making process. So decision-making is one of the primary areas of investigation in this study.
Patients have to make many difficult choices.
Given that, on average, only one in five patients will experience success on the first cycle, most patients will be faced with the difficult decision of whether to undergo a second cycle, also with an average success rate of around 20 percent. There is very little data at this point to answer any of these questions. Our researchers will conduct extensive interviews to better understand the complicated decision-making process. For example, Susan G. Millstein, professor of pediatrics, will head the portion of the project that focuses on the decision-making process. I will look at the effect of these decisions on patients and their partners and their psychological well being.