Decision aid for pediatric sleep disordered breathing: A randomized trial

Abstract

Objective

The objective of this study was to assess whether a decision aid (DA) can increase parental perceptions of shared decision making and reduce decisional conflict.

Study design

Prospective randomized controlled trial.

Setting

January 2017–June 2018 Single-Center Tertiary Pediatric Otolaryngology Practice in Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada.

Methods

English-speaking parents of children younger than 6 years with mild to moderate SDB were included. Parents were randomized to the intervention, with in-person consultation using the DA or the control group, without the DA. Outcomes measured were the decisional conflict scale (DCS), shared decision-making questionnaire (SDM-Q-9) and the OPTION instrument. Descriptive, parametric and non-parametric analyses were performed where appropriate. Spearman's r correlations were used to examine the relation between outcome measures.

Results

101 parents were included (n = 50 DA/51 control). Parents who used the DA reported lower median DCS scores (6.50 vs. 19.25; p = 0.005) and higher SDM-Q-9 scores (93.59 vs. 80.74; p = 0.035). The DCS scores were significantly negatively correlated to SDM-Q-9 scores (Spearman's r = −0.680; p < 0.001). No significant differences were found in mean OPTION scores between groups. SDM-Q-9 and OPTION scores were positively correlated (Spearman's r = 0.590; p < 0.010).

Conclusion

Parents using our DA reported lower levels of decisional conflict and greater perceived involvement in the decision-making process for their children with SDB.