Healthwise Decision Aids

Decision Aids help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.

Decision Points focus on key medical care decisions that are important for many health problems. Each Decision Point provides an overview of the issues involved in a decision and focuses attention on the information that is most helpful to people as they work with their doctors to make the decision.

Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition. Managing these health conditions means following a set of actions to better control their effect on the person and to prevent long-term problems.

Please browse the list below to find Decision Aids of particular interest to you. Decision Points and Actionsets also can be found within their related topics throughout the Library.

Decision Points

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Abnormal Pap Test
        What tests should I have next for minor cervical cell changes classified as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US)?

Acute Bronchitis
        Should I take antibiotics for acute bronchitis?

Allergic Rhinitis
        Should I take allergy shots (immunotherapy) for allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma?

Allergies to Insect Stings
        Should I have allergy shots for allergies to insect stings?

Alzheimer's Disease
        Should I put my relative with Alzheimer's in a nursing home?

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
        Should I have surgery for an anterior cruciate Injuries ligament (ACL) injury?

Aortic Valve Stenosis
        Should I have surgery to replace my aortic valve?
        Should I replace my aortic valve with a mechanical or tissue valve?

Asthma in Teens and Adults
        Making the decision about allergy shots (immunotherapy) for allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma

Atrial Fibrillation
        Should I take anticoagulants to prevent stroke?
        Should I try cardioversion for atrial fibrillation?

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
        Should I have surgery or take medication to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)?
        Should I use medication or watchful waiting to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)?

Blood Transfusion
        Should I bank blood before surgery?

Breast Cancer
        Making the decision about surgery to treat breast cancer

Bunions
        Making the decision about surgery for bunions or other toe deformities (hammer, mallet, claw toes)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
        Making the decision about surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome

Cataracts
        Should I have cataract surgery?

Cluster Headaches
        Should I have imaging tests to evaluate my headaches?

Colon Polyps
        Should I have a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer?

Complementary Medicine
        Should I use complementary medicine?

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
        Should I have angiography to test for coronary artery disease?
        Should I receive end-of-life care?

Depression
        Should I take medications to treat depression?

Dupuytren's Disease
        Should I have surgery for Dupuytren's disease?

Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding
        Should I treat dysfunctional uterine bleeding with hormone therapy?

End-of-Life Care
        Should I receive artificial hydration and nutrition?
        Should I receive CPR and mechanical ventilation?
        Should I receive end-of-life care?
        Should I stop kidney dialysis?

Endometriosis
        Should I have a hysterectomy to treat endometriosis?
        Should I have infertility testing?
        Should I use prescription medications to treat endometriosis?

Erection Problems (Erectile Dysfunction)
        Making the decision about using injections for erection problems
        Making the decision about using Viagra for erection problems

Fungal Nail Infections
        Making the decision about oral medications to treat fungal nail infections

Gallstones
        Should I have surgery to treat gallstone attacks?

Hair Loss
        Should I treat hair loss with medication?

Hammer, Claw, and Mallet Toes
        Should I have surgery for bunions or hammer, claw, or mallet toes?

Hemorrhoids
        Which treatment for hemorrhoids is right for me?

Hemophilia
        Should I have regularly scheduled or on-demand clotting factor replacement therapy for hemophilia?

Hepatitis B
        Should I use antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B?

Hepatitis C
        Should I take antiviral therapy for hepatitis C?

Herniated Disc
        Making the decision about surgery for a herniated disc

High Cholesterol
        Should I take statins for high cholesterol?

HIV Infections
        Making the decision about antiretroviral therapy

Hyperthyroidism
        Should I use antithyroid medication or radioactive iodine to treat hyperthyroidism?

Inflammatory Bowel Disease
        Should I have surgery to cure ulcerative colitis?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome
        Making the decision about testing for irritable bowel syndrome

Kidney Stones
        Should I use extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) for my kidney stones?

Low Back Pain
        Should I have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan for low back pain?
        Should I see a chiropractor to treat low back pain?
        Should I have surgery for a herniated disc?

Meniscus Tear
        Should I have MRI or arthroscopy to diagnose a possible torn meniscus?
        Should I have surgery for my torn meniscus?

Menopause and Perimenopause
        Should I use hormone replacement therapy (HRT)?

Migraine Headaches
        Should I take a prophylactic antimigraine medication?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
        Should I have disease-modifying therapy for multiple sclerosis?

Nearsightedness (Myopia)
        Should I have refractive surgery for nearsightedness?

Obesity
        Should I have surgery to treat obesity?
        Should I use prescription medications to treat obesity?

Osteoarthritis
        Should I have hip replacement surgery?
        Should I have knee replacement surgery?


Osteoporosis
        Should I have a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) test to diagnose osteoporosis?
        Should I take bisphosphonate medications for osteoporosis?

Peripheral Arterial Disease of the Legs
        Should I have a surgical procedure (angioplasty or bypass surgery) for my peripheral arterial disease?

Plantar Fasciitis
        Should I have surgery for plantar fasciitis?

Prostate Cancer
        Should I have a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to screen for prostate cancer?
        Should I have radiation therapy or a prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer?

Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
        Making the decision about whether to have a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to screen for prostate cancer

Rotator Cuff Disorders
        Should I have rotator cuff surgery?

Scoliosis
        Should I (or my child) have surgery for scoliosis?

Sleep Apnea
        Should I have a sleep study to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea?
        Should I have surgery to treat obstructive sleep apnea?

Spinal Stenosis
        Should I have surgery for spinal stenosis?

Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident)
        Should I have carotid endarterectomy for stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA)?
        Should I put my loved one who has had a stroke in a nursing home?

Temporomandibular (TM) Disorders
        Should I have surgery for temporomandibular disorder?

Tennis Elbow
        Should I have surgery to treat tennis elbow?

Tension Headaches
        Should I take prescription medications for tension headaches?

Transient Ischemic Attack
        Making the decision about having carotid endarterectomy

Ulcerative Colitis
        Should I have surgery to cure ulcerative colitis?

Urinary Incontinence in Women
        Which treatment for stress incontinence is right for me?

Uterine Fibroids
        Should I have surgery to treat uterine fibroids?
        Should I have uterine fibroid embolization for uterine fibroids?
        Should I use prescription medication to treat uterine fibroids?

Vaginal Yeast Infections
        Should I self-treat a vaginal yeast infection with a nonprescription medication?

Varicose Veins
        Should I have a surgical procedure for varicose veins?

Warts and Plantar Warts
        Making the decision about whether and how to treat warts and plantar warts

Actionsets

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Age-Related Macular Degeneration
        Living with low vision from age-related macular degeneration

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries
        Pretreatment exercises for an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury

Ankle Sprain
        Applying a compression wrap for a sprained ankle
        Rehabilitation exercises for ankle sprain

Asthma
        Using an asthma action plan
        Using a metered dose inhaler correctly
        Identifying asthma triggers
        Peak flow monitoring

Atopic Dermatitis
        Skin care for atopic dermatitis

Basic Dental Care
        Effective tooth brushing and flossing

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
        Balancing exercises for vertigo
        Taking safety precautions for vertigo

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
        Preventing carpal tunnel syndrome at the keyboard

Cirrhosis
        Eating a low-sodium diet when you have cirrhosis

Coronary Artery Disease
        Exercising for a healthy heart

Cystic Fibrosis
        Postural drainage and chest percussion for cystic fibrosis

Deep Leg Vein Thrombosis
        Taking anticoagulants for deep leg vein thrombosis

Type 1 Diabetes: Children Living With the Disease
        Carbohydrate counting for Type 1 diabetes
        Dealing with low blood sugar when your child takes insulin
        Giving an insulin injection to a child with diabetes
        Home blood sugar monitoring for children with diabetes
        Preventing high blood sugar emergencies in children with diabetes


Type 2 Diabetes in Children
        Carbohydrate counting for children with diabetes
        Dealing with low blood sugar in children taking only oral medication for diabetes
        Dealing with low blood sugar when your child takes insulin
        Giving an insulin injection to a child with diabetes
        Home blood sugar monitoring for children with diabetes
        Preventing high blood sugar emergencies in children with diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes: Recently Diagnosed
        Home blood sugar monitoring

Gestational Diabetes
        Carbohydrate counting when you have gestational diabetes
        Dealing with low blood sugar when you have gestational diabetes
        Home blood sugar monitoring when you have gestational diabetes
        Preparing and giving an insulin injection when you have gestational diabetes
        Using a food guide when you have gestational diabetes

Grief & Grieving
        Helping children who are grieving
        Helping older adults who are grieving
        Helping teens who are grieving
        Managing your feelings of grief

Hammer Toes
        Finding the right footwear for your foot problem.

Heart Failure
        Taking your medications properly for heart failure
        Eating less sodium when you have heart failure
        Activity and exercise for heart failure
        Avoiding triggers for heart failure
        Dealing with fluid intake when you have heart failure

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
        Monitoring your blood pressure at home
        Taking your high blood pressure medications properly
        Tips for following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet

Hirschsprung's Disease
        Caring for your ostomy

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
        Taking antiretroviral therapy for HIV

Insomnia
        How to set up a healthy sleep environment

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
        Controlling irritable bowel syndrome with diet

Low Back Pain
        Exercises to reduce low back pain
        Lifting properly to prevent back injury

Ménière's Disease
        Balance exercises for vertigo
        Low sodium diet for Ménière's Disease
        Taking safety precautions for vertigo

Menopause and Perimenopause
        Managing hot flashes

Migraine Headaches
        Identifying and avoiding migraine triggers
        Managing a headache effectively

Multiple Sclerosis
        Rehabilitation for multiple sclerosis

Osteoarthritis
        Exercising with osteoarthritis

Osteoporosis
        Taking calcium for osteoporosis

Patellar Tracking Disorder
        Exercises for patellar tracking disorder

Rheumatoid Arthritis
        Taking an active role in the management of your rheumatoid arthritis

Rotator Cuff Disorders
        Rotator cuff home rehabilitation exercises

Plantar Fasciitis
        Exercises to reduce plantar fasciitis.

Prostate Cancer, Advanced or Metastatic
        Controlling cancer pain

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
        Receiving light therapy at home to treat SAD

Skin Cancer, Melanoma
       Protecting your skin from ultraviolet radiation and skin cancer

Tension Headaches
        Managing a headache effectively
        Identifying and avoiding tension headache triggers

Venous Skin Ulcer
        Using compression stockings to prevent venous skin ulcer

Vertigo
        Taking safety precautions for vertigo
        Managing a manic episode

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