Increasing patient involvement in the diabetic foot pathway: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Issue 11 (13th June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McBride, E.; Hacking, B.; O'Carroll, R.; Young, M.; Jahr, J.; Borthwick, C.; Callander, A.; Berrada, Z.
• Is Part Of: Diabetic medicine. Volume 33:Issue 11(2016:Nov.)
• Page Start: 1483
• Page End: 1492
• Publication Date: 2016-06-13
• Subjects: Diabetes -- Periodicals; 616.462
• DOI: 10.1111/dme.13158
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0742-3071

Abstract

Abstract: Aims: This pilot study aimed to explore whether the use of an intervention to increase shared decision‐making (Decision Navigation) increased decision self‐efficacy and foot‐treatment adherence in patients with a diabetic foot ulcer. Methods: Fifty‐six patients with a diabetic foot ulcer were randomized to receive Decision Navigation ( N = 30) or usual care ( N = 26). Primary outcomes included decision self‐efficacy, adherence to foot treatment as reported by the participant and adherence to foot treatment as reported by the clinician. Secondary outcomes included foot ulcer healing rate, health‐related quality of life, decision conflict and decision regret. Results: Despite participants rating Decision Navigation as very helpful, mixed analyses of variance revealed no differences in decision self‐efficacy or adherence between those receiving Decision Navigation and those receiving usual care. There were no differences between groups with regards to the secondary outcomes, with the exception of decision conflict which increased over time (12 weeks) for those receiving Decision Navigation. Conclusions: An intervention that facilitated patient involvement in treatment decisions did not have any impact on decisional confidence or adherence to foot treatment. This does not provide support for the suggestion that personalized care can improve health‐related outcomes at this progressed stage of the patient's disease trajectory. We suggest that the diabetic foot population may benefit from interventions aimed at increasing motivation to engage with care pathways, centred on challenging personal controllability beliefs. What's new?: To our knowledge, this is the first study to test an intervention to facilitate shared decision‐making in patients with a diabetic foot ulcer. Despite the national push for shared decision‐making in diabetes, this pilot study found no impact on patient confidence or adherence. Participants were more conflicted about decisions after increased involvement in the care pathway. Unexpectedly, we observed extremely high decisional confidence at baseline. This would appear to be in conflict with high morbidity and mortality rates. This extremely high confidence may be indicative of little perceived need to engage in treatment pathways. This has important practice implications for future interventions.