Patient decision aid on natural health products for menopausal symptoms: randomized controlled trial

Abstract

To evaluate the impact of a patient decision aid (PDA) regarding the use of natural health products (NHPs) at menopause on decisional conflict, knowledge of NHPs, congruence between values and choice, persistence with an option, intention to disclose the use of NHPs to a physician or a pharmacist and intention to use decision support interventions in the future. A randomized controlled trial in which 90 women, aged 45-64 years, facing a decision about using NHPs for menopausal symptoms, received a PDA (experimental group) or a general information brochure about menopause (control group). Main outcome Decisional conflict. Measures Women were evaluated at baseline and after a two-week period using the decisional conflict scale (DCS). Analysis of covariance was used to determine the differences between both groups on the DCS. Both groups experienced a statistically significant reduction on the DCS (-0.55 +/- 0.59, P < 0.0001 versus -0.52 +/- 0.73, P < 0.0001). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups (P = 0.32). Both groups experienced a statistically significant improvement in knowledge of NHPs (0.86 +/- 1.77, P = 0.002 versus 0.51 +/- 1.47, P = 0.031). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups (P = 0.162). A PDA regarding the use of NHPs for menopausal symptoms impacted favourably on women's decisional conflict, but was not superior to a general information brochure on menopause.