The relationship between the quality of the shared decision-making process and hope in patients with multiple sclerosis: an analytical cross-sectional study

Multiple sclerosis (MS) profoundly impacts patients’ psychological and social well-being. This study investigated the relationship between the quality of the shared decision-making (SDM) process and hope among patients with MS in northwest Iran. This analytical cross-sectional study selected 300 patients with MS covered by the Ardabil MS Association via simple random sampling. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the AGA-25 scale, and Snyder’s Adult Hope Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, analysis of variance, and a linear regression model in SPSS 26. In this analytical cross-sectional study of 300 patients with multiple sclerosis (mean age = 32.20 ± 10.20 years; 66.3% women), most participants had a relapsing–remitting disease course (76%) and a mean hope score of 38.97 ± 6.33 and a mean shared decision-making score of 63.99 ± 9.66. The mean scores of hope and its subscales were significantly higher than the established criterion values ( p < 0.001), whereas the mean SDM score (63.99 ± 9.66) was significantly higher than the criterion score of 60 ( p < 0.01). The quality of SDM was significantly associated with patients’ education, spouse education, and patient occupation ( p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between SDM quality and hope ( r = 0.37, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that satisfaction with information during SDM and DMT convenience were significantly associated with higher hope scores. Employed patients also had significantly higher hope scores than housewives, whereas information reliability was not independently significant after adjustment. The final model explained a modest proportion of the variance in hope (adjusted R² = 0.184). This study revealed a significant positive association between the quality of SDM and hope among patients with multiple sclerosis. Higher quality of SDM was associated with higher levels of hope. Although the quality of SDM was moderate, suggesting room for improvement in communication and involvement between patients and healthcare providers, the findings highlight the potential importance of patient engagement in decision-making in relation to their sense of hope and psychological well-being.