Perspectives of physicians and doulas on shared decision-making and decision counseling in the treatment of pregnant women with opioid use disorders

Introduction: Research about the application of shared decision-making (SDM) in the context of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD) is limited. The objectives of our study were to 1) examine facilitators of and barriers to SDM for the initiation of MAT in clinical practice and 2) evaluate the receptivity of clinicians and doulas involved in the care of women with OUD to the use of an online software application to facilitate SDM about MAT.

Methods: This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with consenting physicians and doulas who provided care for pregnant women with OUD between November 2021 and May 2022. Participants were asked about factors influencing SDM in practice. In addition, the study asked participants about the feasibility of using the Jefferson Decision Counseling Guide© (JDCG) to educate pregnant women with OUD as to the benefits and risks of undergoing MAT versus no treatment and to help patients clarify their treatment preference. The study recorded the interview and transcribed it verbatim using Rev. transcription services. The study used thematic analyses to code the data and identify key barriers and facilitators of SDM and perceptions of the SDM tool.

Results: Nineteen participants completed interviews. The study identified several barriers to SDM including time constraints, lack of decision counseling tools at points of care, and patients presenting in an actively high state or withdrawing. Peer workers or other trained personnel, giving patients more time, and comfort in decision counseling are examples of facilitators identified by the participants of the study. Participants believed that the counseling tool could facilitate conversations with patients and should be integrated into the workflow.

Conclusion: In this qualitative study, we identified several barriers and facilitators of SDM to initiate MAT for pregnant women with OUD. Our findings indicate that there are challenges and opportunities for healthcare systems to increase SDM in this marginalized patient population. Feedback from participants highlighted their receptivity to the use of SDM tools to facilitate meaningful conversations in various settings that can guide decision making about care.