Patient Expectancy of Shared Decision Making according to Ego States in Primary Care

Abstract

Objective: Shared decision-making (SDM) is a clinical approach that involves presenting options to the patient, providing comprehensive information about these options, and actively engaging in the decision-making process. The objective of this study was to investigate patients’ SDM expectations within the realm of primary healthcare, focusing on the correlation with their ego states.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving a sample size of 402 patients, determined on the basis of a 50% prevalence rate, 95% confidence level, and 0.05 margin of error. The “Primary Care Patients’ Expectancy for Shared Decision Making Questionnaire,” the Ego States scale, and a demographic data form were administered to the participants. Data analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0 software package. Statistical analysis included descriptive measures (mean, standard deviation, and percentage), chi-square analysis, and logistic regression.

Results: There exists no significant statistical relationship between patients’ ego states and their expectations of shared decision making (p=0.567). However, patients’ age (p=0.020), presence of a chronic disease (p=0.010), presence of a psychiatric disorder (p=0.006), and educational status (p=0.039) demonstrated a significant impact on patient expectations concerning shared decision making. According to the results of the logistic regression analysis, the presence of a chronic disease increases the expectancy for shared decision making by a factor of 3,931 compared with patients without the disease. Conversely, individuals with a history of psychiatric illness showed a 3,573-fold increase in the expectation of shared decision making. Furthermore, for those residing with 3 or more individuals in the same household, the anticipation of shared decision making rises by 2,224 times compared to those living with 2 or fewer individuals.

Conclusion: Significantly, the ego states of patients accessing primary care services do not substantially impact SDM expectations. Based on the findings of this study, it is essential to acknowledge that SDM expectations among primary care patients are influenced by their sociodemographic characteristics. Furthermore, further research is warranted to understand the influence of psychological factors on SDM.