ABSTRACT Aim Shared decision‐making (SDM) involves the incorporation of patient preferences, values, and beliefs which yield patient‐centered care. This study aims to explore patient engagement in the healthcare decision‐making process and its association with the patients' satisfaction. Design A cross‐sectional, descriptive correlational design was used. Method OPTION tool—Arabic version was used to measure the patients' decision‐making level. The Patients' Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to measure patients' satisfaction level. Data was analysed using SPSS. Results The results showed that patients generally agreed with statements about their engagement in healthcare decision‐making, with an overall mean score of 2.03 (SD = 0.08). In contrast, their satisfaction with medical care was neutral, with an overall mean of 2.90 (SD = 0.17), indicating mixed experiences. There was no significant relationship between patient engagement and satisfaction, as correlation and regression analyses showed a very weak, non‐significant association (R 2 = 0.001, p > 0.05). Additionally, demographic variables such as gender, age, marital status, employment, years of infection, and caregiver support showed no statistically significant impact on satisfaction levels. Conclusion Patient engagement in decision‐making was generally agreed upon; however, it did not significantly influence satisfaction with medical care, suggesting that other unmeasured factors may play a more important role in shaping patient satisfaction, and decision‐making alone is not sufficient. Patient Contribution Involving patients and the public (PPI) was a key component of this study. From the beginning, patients helped shape the research questions and contributed to designing the study protocol. They also took part in the recruitment process, offering important perspectives on how to engage participants effectively. Additionally, patient representatives reviewed the study materials, providing feedback to improve their clarity and relevance. Lastly, patients were involved in sharing the research outcomes to help make the findings more accessible and understandable to a broader audience.
Alharbi et al. (Wed,) studied this question.