RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

DEterminants of Decisional Autonomy In Chronic Pain Patients and Assessment of Treatment Effectiveness

This study is about understanding how people living with ongoing pain make choices about their treatment. If you have chronic pain, you know it's not just a physical problem but can affect many parts of your life. Doctors often want to involve you in decisions, but ongoing pain might make this harder. Researchers will use a special tool to see how well people with chronic pain understand their options, think them through, and express their choices. They also want to see if these decision-making abilities affect how well treatments work. The study will also compare how doctors see a patient's ability to make decisions versus what the tool shows. This aims to help improve care for people with chronic pain.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Fondation Hôpital Saint-Joseph

Enrolment target

200

Start

01 Mar 2025

Estimated completion

30 Oct 2027

Chronic Pain

What is this study about?

Living with chronic pain – pain that lasts three months or more – can be really tough. It's not just a feeling; it can change your life, making daily tasks harder and affecting your thoughts and feelings. Many doctors now see chronic pain itself as a condition, not just a symptom of something else. Because of this, treatment often focuses on helping you manage your pain and live your life as fully as possible, rather than just making the pain disappear.

A big part of modern pain management is making sure you, the patient, are at the centre of decisions about your care. Doctors want to empower you, involve you, and support you in choosing the best path for your health. This is called 'shared decision-making' or 'patient autonomy'. However, when you're dealing with constant pain, it can sometimes affect your ability to think clearly or feel strong enough to make big decisions. Some research suggests that people with chronic pain might find it harder to make these choices.

This study wants to learn more about this. It will explore what helps people with chronic pain make treatment decisions and what might get in the way. Researchers will use a specific tool to measure different aspects of your decision-making, like how well you understand information, weigh up options, and communicate your preferences. They will then look at whether your ability to make decisions affects how well your treatment works for you. They'll also compare how doctors view your decision-making abilities with what the tool shows. The hope is that by understanding this better, we can improve how chronic pain is treated and make sure patients feel truly involved and supported.

Key takeaways

This study explores how people with chronic pain make treatment decisions.
It aims to understand factors that help or hinder this decision-making process.
A special tool will be used to measure your ability to make choices about your care.
The study also compares your decision-making skills with your doctor's perception.
Insights from this research could help improve future chronic pain treatments.

Who may be eligible?

To take part in this study, you need to be at least 18 years old and be attending your very first appointment for chronic pain at a participating clinic between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. You also need to be able to speak French.

If you have serious problems with your sight or hearing that would make it hard to take part, or if you are under legal guardianship or in detention, you won't be able to join. Also, if you don't want your health information to be used for this study, that's perfectly fine, and you won't be included.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Will your first chronic pain appointment be between Jan 2025 and Dec 2025?
Do you speak French?
Are you able to see and hear well enough to take part?
Are you free to make your own choices about participating?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study involves completing a specific assessment called MacCAT-T, which helps understand how you make decisions. You'll answer questions about your understanding, reasoning, and preferences regarding treatment. The study will also look at how your doctors view your decision-making abilities. There are no new medications or extra doctor visits involved. The total duration of your participation would be linked to the timing of your first chronic pain consultation and follow-up data collection, though the exact number of assessments or specific duration isn't detailed.

Potential risks and benefits

Potential benefits of participating could include contributing to a better understanding of chronic pain management and how patients' decision-making abilities affect their treatment. This could ultimately lead to improved care for others living with chronic pain. As this study mainly involves answering questions, there are no known physical risks. Some people might find thinking about their pain and decisions emotionally challenging, but support would be available if needed. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason, and your medical care will not be affected.

Locations (1)

Hôpital Paris Saint Joseph
Verified postcode
Paris, France· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'chronic pain'?

Chronic pain is pain that lasts for three months or longer. It can affect your daily life and is often treated in a holistic way.

What does 'decisional autonomy' mean?

It means your ability to understand information, think through your options, and make your own choices about your medical treatment.

Will I take new medication in this study?

No, this study does not involve taking any new medications. It's about how you make decisions about your current or future treatments.

What is the MacCAT-T tool?

It's a special questionnaire or assessment designed to measure how well someone understands information, reasons, and expresses their choices regarding medical decisions.

How will my information be used?

Your health information will be used to understand how decision-making abilities relate to treatment outcomes for chronic pain patients.

How to find out more

Marguerite D'USSEL, MD

mdussel@ghpsj.fr +33144127147 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.