Decision regret and shared decision-making in patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Area of Science:

• Hyperbaric medicine
• Patient-centered care
• Decision science

Background:

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a demanding treatment with variable effectiveness.
• Logistical challenges and treatment intensity can lead to patient regret.
• Shared decision-making (SDM) is crucial for aligning patient expectations with HBOT outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the level of shared decision-making (SDM) experienced by patients undergoing HBOT.
• To investigate the relationship between SDM and post-treatment regret in HBOT patients.
• To identify factors influencing patient decision regret and SDM in HBOT.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study of patients receiving ≥ 10 HBOT sessions.
• Utilized SDM-Q-9 and SDM-K-Q questionnaires for SDM assessment.
• Applied the Decision Regret Scale (DRS) post-treatment; analyzed with multivariable linear regression.

Main Results:

• 62 patients (mean age 61.5) treated mainly for radiation injuries included.
• Mean SDM scores were 61.9% (SDM-Q-9) and 72.1% (SDM-K-Q); mean regret was 13.4%.
• Lower regret correlated with symptom improvement and experiencing more side effects; male gender trended towards higher regret.

Conclusions:

• HBOT patients reported limited SDM and low regret, with side effects paradoxically linked to less regret.
• Findings underscore the need for individualized SDM and patient education in HBOT.
• Aligning treatment choices with patient values and expectations is key for optimizing HBOT experience.