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Participatory Decision Making, Patient Activation, Medication Adherence, and Intermediate Clinical Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes: A STARNet Study
Michael L. Parchman , and colleagues
Background Participatory decision making, in which patients actively participate in the medical visit, is associated with better outcomes in patients with chronic illnesses. This study of patients with type 2 diabetes aimed to shed light on the pathway between a clinician's participatory decision-making style, patient participation in the visit, and taking medication as prescribed.
What This Study Found Diabetes patients who reported a higher level of participatory decision making were more likely to actively participate in the medical visit. Active participation in the visit was associated with taking medications as prescribed, and taking medications as prescribed was associated with improved control of hemoglobin A1C levels and LDL cholesterol levels (but not blood pressure).
Implications
- Actively involving patients in decision making about their care requires adequate visit time and resources. This will require a fundamental restructuring and transformation of many primary care settings.