Decision Aid for Patients With Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) have concerns and needs about their health and the health care they receive. Patient decision aids (PtDAs) are tools that assist patients in making health decisions, when there is uncertainty about treatment choice, incorporating their personal preferences and values about the available treatment options. PtDAs can improve shared decision-making (SDM) and lead to better treatment outcomes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based PtDA for patients with GAD in primary care. Methods and analysis: The general study design comprises two stages: i) Development of a web-based PtDA for patients with GAD, derived from an evidence-based Clinical Practice Guideline and, ii) Assessment of the effectiveness of the PtDA employing in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design, in primary care centres of Tenerife (Spain). This RCT will be carried out with 156 patients with GAD with a score ≥8 in the GAD-7 questionnaire, comparing the PtDA to usual care (fact sheet with general information on mental health). Patients will review the PtDA accompanied by a researcher. Post-intervention survey will be administered immediately after the intervention. The primary outcome will be decisional conflict (immediately after intervention and 3 months after intervention). Secondary outcomes will include knowledge about GAD and its treatment (immediately after intervention and 3 months after intervention), treatment preference (immediately after intervention), actual treatment choice (3 months after intervention), concordance between preferred and chosen (3 months after intervention) decision quality with the decision-making process (3 months after intervention), and GAD symptoms (3 months after intervention).