Development of a leaflet for shared decision-making in antipsychotic formulation for patients with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES: To develop a decision-aid leaflet to support decision making on antipsychotic formulation in patients with schizophrenia hospitalised for acute symptoms. METHODS: The decision-aid leaflet was developed in accordance with the International Patient Decision Aids Standards and the Ottawa Personal Decision Guide. Usability and readability assessments were conducted among 16 patients with schizophrenia and 51 psychiatric healthcare professionals. Additionally, shared decision making incorporating the decision-aid leaflet was implemented in three patients with schizophrenia. RESULTS: The decision-aid leaflet met all qualifying and certification criteria, as well as 20 of the 23 quality criteria of the International Patient Decision Aids Standards. All three patients with schizophrenia who underwent the shared decision-making process agreed that the leaflet provided sufficient information to guide their decisions regarding changes in antipsychotic formulations. CONCLUSION: A decision-aid leaflet was developed to support decision-making regarding changes in antipsychotic formulations among patients with schizophrenia hospitalised in an acute-care ward. The leaflet appears feasible for use in clinical practice.