Improved decisional conflict and preparedness for decision making using a patient decision aid for treatment selection in psoriasis: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: We developed a patient decision aid (pDA) to assist psoriasis patients in treatment decisions.
OBJECTIVE: This pilot study evaluated the pDA in patient knowledge, decisional conflict, and preparation for decision making.
METHODS: Newly referred psoriasis patients in a private dermatology office completed self-administered surveys at three time points: before (visit 1) and on two occasions after provision of the pDA (visit 2 up to 2 weeks after visit 1; visit 3 up to 6 weeks after visit 1). The survey included questions regarding knowledge of psoriasis and its treatment and validated questionnaires on decisional conflict and preparation for decision making.
RESULTS: Ten psoriasis patients participated (seven men, three women; mean age 45.7 years), with a mean age of 11.4 years since diagnosis. Improvement by visit 3 was observed for knowledge (p  =  .06), reduced decisional conflict (p ≤ .001), and preparation for decision making (p ≤ .05). Patients tended to self-select treatment appropriate to the level of psoriasis severity.
CONCLUSION: This pilot study of the pDA showed improved patient knowledge of psoriasis and its treatments, reduced decisional conflict, and increased patient preparation for decision making. LIMITATIONS: This small study was not randomized and did not have a comparator arm.