Shared decision‐making, treatment decision regret, and vision-related quality of life among parents of children with myopia: An online survey in Taiwan

Objectives

To investigate the relationships among myopia treatment, decision regret, shared decision-making, and vision-related quality of life among parents of 6–12-year-old children with myopia.

Methods

An online Google Forms questionnaire was developed using a cross-sectional design and distributed between January 16 and August 22, 2023. Parents of 6–12-year-old children with myopia were recruited through school nurses working in Taiwan. The children’s and parents’ demographic data were collected. Study instruments included the Decisional Regret Scale, Shared Decision‐Making, and Vision-Related Quality of Life questionnaires. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing vision-related quality of life.

Results

Of 350 parents contacted, 314 questionnaires were analyzed. Among the respondents, 77.39 % (n = 243) were mothers, and most were aged >40 years. The mean age of children at myopia diagnosis was 7.12 ± 1.24 years; 46.50 % had < − 1.0 diopters of refractive error. Atropine eye drops were the primary treatment; 17.71 % of children were prescribed orthokeratology for myopia control. Parents reported low levels of decision regret and moderate levels of shared decision-making and vision-related quality of life. Children’s age, use of orthokeratology lenses, decision regret, and shared decision-making significantly influenced the vision-related quality of life reported by the parents, accounting for 22.5 % of the variance.

Conclusion

The study’s findings emphasize the importance of addressing decision regret and promoting shared decision-making in myopia treatment. Eye care professionals should discuss treatment options thoroughly before making decisions. Through shared decision-making, parents can make informed choices about treatments based on a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and drawbacks, ultimately benefitting children’s vision health.