Development of a Decision Aid to Support Shared Decision-Making on Cannabis Use for Arthritis: Protocol for a...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Pharmacology
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Arthritis pain management often requires exploring alternative therapies beyond conventional treatments.
• Medical cannabis is a potential option for arthritis symptom relief, necessitating informed patient decisions.
• Patients need to weigh the benefits and risks of cannabis use against personal values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically develop a theory-driven, evidence-based, and user-centered decision aid (DA).
• The DA aims to support shared decision-making (SDM) for older adults with arthritis considering medical cannabis.

Main Methods:

• The development process follows the Ottawa Decision Support Framework and International Patient Decision Aids Standards.
• Four phases include scoping reviews, patient and clinician interviews, DA development, and alpha testing.
• Recruitment for patient and clinician interviews is underway in Alberta, Canada.

Main Results:

• Phase 1 completed: two scoping reviews published, identifying common SDM tool frameworks and limited evidence on medical cannabis for arthritis.
• Phases 2 and 3 initiated, with patient and clinician recruitment ongoing.
• An advisory board is assembled, and the DA development is progressing.

Conclusions:

• This protocol details the systematic development of a patient-centered DA for medical cannabis decisions in arthritis.
• The findings will assess the DA's feasibility and inform its refinement for beta testing and future implementation.