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Decision Analysis in Psychiatry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Simon Hatcher
Simon Hatcher*
Affiliation:
Pupuke Centre, North Shore Hospital, Private Bag 93-503, Takapuna, Auckland 9, New Zealand
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Abstract

Background

Decision analysis is an explicit, quantitative approach to examining difficult decisions about course of action. Its applicability to psychiatry is considered.

Method

An example of how decision analysis could be used in psychiatry is given, criticism of the technique is discussed, and previous attempts to apply it to mental illness problems (from a Medline search from 1966 onwards) are reviewed.

Conclusion

The future for decision analysis in psychiatry lies in teaching, audit and research, rather than clinical work.

Type
Review Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 166 , Issue 2 , February 1995 , pp. 184 - 190
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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