Shared Decision-Making in Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) Options Using a Questionnaire for Respiratory Allergic...

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Clinical Practice Guidelines
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is a crucial treatment for allergic diseases.
• Assessing patient preferences is vital for successful AIT adherence and outcomes.
• Current methods for assessing patient preferences in AIT may lack objectivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a questionnaire for allergists.
• To objectively assess patient preferences for allergen immunotherapy (AIT).
• To aid clinicians in selecting the most suitable AIT option for patients.

Main Methods:

• A Delphi consensus process involving 15 allergists and 200 panelists.
• A 16-item questionnaire on a nine-point Likert scale was utilized.
• Consensus was defined as ≥66.6% agreement or disagreement among panelists.

Main Results:

• 195 out of 200 experts (97.5%) participated.
• Consensus was reached on 12 out of 16 items (75%).
• Validated questions cover patient knowledge, adherence barriers, behavior, future actions, costs, and preferences.

Conclusions:

• A 12-question, Delphi-validated questionnaire is now available.
• The questionnaire facilitates objective assessment of patient preferences for AIT.
• It supports allergists in making informed, unconditioned AIT treatment decisions.