Implications of strong versus weak recommendations for end-users15
| Implications | Strong recommendation | Weak recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| For patients | Most people in this situation would want the recommended course of action and only a small proportion would not. | Most people in this situation would want the suggested course of action, but many would not. |
| For clinicians | Most people should receive the recommended course of action. Adherence to this recommendation according to the guideline could be used as a quality criterion or performance indicator. Formal decision aids are not likely to be needed to help people make decisions consistent with their values and preferences. | Clinicians should recognize that different choices will be appropriate for different patients and that they must help each patient arrive at a management decision consistent with her or his values and preferences. Decision aids may be useful to help people to make decisions consistent with their values and preferences. Clinicians should expect to spend more time with patients when working toward a decision. |
| For policy-makers | The recommendation can be used to develop policy (e.g., taxation of products high in sugar or salt). | Policy-making will require substantial debates and involvement of many stakeholders. Policies are also more likely to vary between regions. Performance indicators would have to focus on the fact that adequate deliberation about the management options has taken place. |