Effect of Shared Decision‐Making on Trust in Physicians in the Management of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The Trust Measurement for Physicians and Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Prospective Cohort Study

Objective Few studies have explored whether the involvement of patients in shared decision‐making (SDM) is beneficial to the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between patient participation in SDM and their trust in physicians using data from the Trust Measurement in Physicians and Patients With SLE (TRUMP2‐SLE) study. Methods Data regarding the nine‐item Japanese version of the Shared Decision‐Making Questionnaire (SDM‐Q‐9) scores, Trust in Physician Scale (TIPS) scores, and Abbreviated Wake Forest Physician Trust Scale (A‐WFPTS) scores for interpersonal trust in a physician and trust in the medical profession were collected from patients with SLE who visited the outpatient clinics of five facilities in Japan through a self‐administered questionnaire. The relationships among these scores were analyzed by general linear models with cluster‐robust variance. Results This study included 433 patients with SLE. The median baseline TIPS and A‐WFPTS (attending physician version) scores were 82 (73–93) and 80 (70–95), respectively. A higher baseline SDM‐Q‐9 score was correlated with an increase in the TIPS score at one year (coefficient per 10‐point [pt] increase, 0.94 pts, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16–1.72). A higher baseline SDM‐Q‐9 score was correlated with a higher A‐WFPTS score for interpersonal trust (coefficient per 10‐pt increase, 2.20 pts, 95% CI 1.44–2.96). The baseline SDM‐Q‐9 score was also correlated with an increase in the general physician version of the A‐WFPTS score at one year (coefficient per 10‐pt increase, 1.29 pts, 95% CI 0.41–2.18). Conclusion Engagement of patients with SLE in SDM elevates their trust in the attending physicians and health care providers, potentially enhancing doctor–patient relationships and overall health care trust.