If I choose it am I more likely to use it? The role of choice in medication and service use

Consumer choice has been identified as a key factor in adherence and recovery in general
medicine, and, more recently, in the field of mental health. In fact, increasing choice and selfdetermination in care has been a cornerstone of the mental health recovery movement and, as
such, has become the object of considerable skepticism and critique. In this paper, we review the
fi ndings of a total of 49 articles found through a comprehensive search for information on the
role of choice and decision-making in influencing service and medication use, adherence, and
outcomes. Consistent findings of these studies are that, when given choices about their care,
people are more likely to engage in treatment, to adhere to interventions, and to experience better
outcomes, both in general medicine and more specifically in relation to mental illnesses.
Implications and limitations of these studies, as well as directions for future research, are
suggested.