Impact of shared decision making on asthma quality of life and asthma control among children

• Published in: The Journal of asthma Vol. 55; no. 6; p. 675
• Main Authors: Taylor, Yhenneko J, Tapp, Hazel, Shade, Lindsay E, Liu, Tsai-Ling, Mowrer, Jessica Lauren, Dulin, Michael F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 03.06.2018
• Subjects: Adolescent; Asthma - psychology; Asthma - therapy; Child; Child, Preschool; Clinical Decision-Making - methods; Community Health Services - methods; Community Health Services - organization & administration; Female; Health Plan Implementation; Humans; Male; North Carolina; Patient Participation; Poverty; Program Evaluation; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Surveys and Questionnaires - statistics & numerical data; North Carolina; mini asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ); Medicaid; practice-based research; Asthma therapy assessment questionnaire (ATAQ); propensity score
• ISSN: 1532-4303
• DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2017.1362423

Few studies have examined the effectiveness of shared decision making (SDM) in clinical practice. This study evaluated the impact of SDM on quality of life and symptom control in children with asthma. We conducted a prospective 3-year study in six community-based practices serving a low-income patient population. Practices received training on SDM using an evidence-based toolkit. Patients aged 2-17 with a diagnosis of asthma were identified from scheduling and billing data. At approximate 6-month intervals, patients completed a survey consisting of the Mini Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (range 1-7) and the control domain of the Pediatric Asthma Therapy Assessment Questionnaire (range 0-7). We used propensity scores to match 46 children receiving SDM to 46 children receiving usual care with decision support. Included children had completed a baseline survey and at least one follow-up survey. Random coefficient models incorporated repeated measures to assess the effect of SDM on asthma quality of life and asthma control. The sample was primarily of non-White patients (94.6%) with Medicaid insurance (92.4%). Receipt of SDM using an evidence-based toolkit was associated with higher asthma quality of life [mean difference 0.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4-1.4] and fewer asthma control problems (mean difference -0.9; 95% CI -1.6--0.2) compared to usual care with decision support. Implementation of SDM within clinical practices using a standardized toolkit is associated with improved asthma quality of life and asthma control for low-income children with asthma when compared to usual care with decision support.