Trends in Patient-Perceived Shared Decision Making Among Adults in the United States, 2002-2014

To ascertain changes in shared decision making (SDM), we analyzed data from the nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We aggregated responses to questions into a 7-point SDM composite score. Between 2002 and 2014, the mean SDM composite score increased from 4.4 to 5.0 (P <.01), indicating greater patient-perceived SDM. In multivariate modeling, SDM scores were higher for black vs white patients (+0.33 points) and those with a same-race/ethnicity usual source of care (+0.24 points; both P <.05). Scores were lower for patients with poor-perceived health (-0.41 points), Asian vs white race/ethnicity (-0.28 points), and no insurance (-0.17 points; all P <.05). Improvement efforts should target Americans without a same-race/ethnicity usual source of care and with poor-perceived health.