People Living with Chronic Pain Experience a High Prevalence of Decision Regret in Canada: A Pan-Canadian Online Survey

Florian Naye, Yannick Tousignant-Laflamme, Maxime Sasseville, Chloé Cachinho, Thomas Gérard, Karine Toupin-April, Olivia Dubois, Jean-Sébastien Paquette, Annie LeBlanc, Isabelle Gaboury, Marie-Ève Poitras, Linda C. Li, Alison M. Hoens, Marie-Dominique Poirier, France Légaré and Simon Décary
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Florian Naye: School of Rehabilitation, Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Yannick Tousignant-Laflamme: School of Rehabilitation, Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Maxime Sasseville: VITAM Research Center for Sustainable Health, Quebec Integrated University Health and Social Services Center (CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale), QC, Canada
Chloé Cachinho: School of Rehabilitation, Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Thomas Gérard: School of Rehabilitation, Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Karine Toupin-April: School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Olivia Dubois: School of Rehabilitation, Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Jean-Sébastien Paquette: VITAM Research Center for Sustainable Health, Quebec Integrated University Health and Social Services Center (CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale), QC, Canada
Annie LeBlanc: VITAM Research Center for Sustainable Health, Quebec Integrated University Health and Social Services Center (CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale), QC, Canada
Isabelle Gaboury: Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Marie-Ève Poitras: Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Linda C. Li: Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Alison M. Hoens: Patient-research partner
Marie-Dominique Poirier: Patient-research partner
France Légaré: VITAM Research Center for Sustainable Health, Quebec Integrated University Health and Social Services Center (CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale), QC, Canada
Simon Décary: School of Rehabilitation, Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

Medical Decision Making, 2025, vol. 45, issue 4, 462-479

Abstract: Background (1) To estimate the prevalence of decision regret in chronic pain care, and (2) to identify factors associated with decision regret. Design We conducted a pan-Canadian cross-sectional online survey and reported the results following the Checklist for Reporting of Survey Studies guidelines. We recruited a sample of adults experiencing chronic noncancer pain. We used a stratified proportional random sampling based on the population and chronic pain prevalence of each province. We measured decision regret with the Decision Regret Scale (DRS) and decisional needs with the Ottawa Decision Support Framework. We performed descriptive analysis to estimate the prevalence and level of decision regret and multilevel multivariable regression analysis to identify factors associated with regret according to the STRengthening Analytical Thinking for Observational Studies recommendations. Results We surveyed 1,649 people living with chronic pain, and 1,373 reported a most difficult decision from the 10 prespecified ones, enabling the collection of a DRS score. On a scale ranging from 0 to 100 where 1 reflects the presence of decision regret and 25 constitutes important decision regret, the mean DRS score in our sample was 28.8 ( s  = 19.6). Eighty-four percent of respondents experienced some decision regret and 50% at an important level. We identified 15 factors associated with decision regret, including 4 personal and 9 decision-making characteristics, and 2 consequences of the chosen option. Respondents with low education level and higher decisional conflict experienced more decision regret when the decision was deemed difficult. Conclusions This pan-Canadian survey highlighted a high prevalence and level of decision regret associated with difficult decisions for pain care. Decision making in pain care could be enhanced by addressing factors that contribute to decision regret. Highlights We conducted an online pan-Canadian survey and collected responses from a wide diversity of people living with chronic pain. More than 84% of respondents experienced decision regret and approximately 50% at an important level. We identified 15 factors associated with decision regret, including 4 personal and 9 decision-making characteristics, and 2 consequences of the chosen option. Our pan-Canadian survey reveals an urgent need of a shared decision-making approach in chronic pain care that can be potentiated by targeting multiple factors associated with decision regret.

Keywords: decision regret scale; decision regret; chronic pain; survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:medema:v:45:y:2025:i:4:p:462-479

DOI: 10.1177/0272989X251326069

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