Preference for information and involvement, information seeking and emotional responses of women undergoing colposcopy.

The relationship of individual differences in preference for information and involvement, information-seeking behaviors, and emotional responses was examined in 36 women undergoing colposcopy, a stressful medical procedure. The findings revealed that individual differences in preference for information and behavioral involvement in health care influenced women's information seeking about colposcopy. Women who asked more questions during their clinic visits reported higher preferences for information. Women who sought an information sheet about colposcopy reported higher preference for behavioral involvement in their health care. The findings also revealed that information seeking was associated with the positive emotional response confidence but not with fear or anger/depression.