Shared Decisions

Please visit ClinicalTrials.gov for more information on the study.

Implementation of Shared Decision Making in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Stepped Wedge, Cluster-randomized Trial (RAiSeD)

RAiSeD is a VA-funded, active research study that aims to evaluate the effectiveness of multi-component shared decision-making (SDM) intervention for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) within the Veterans Health Administration (VA). RA affects up to 1% of the population, and 2% of those 60 and older, causing reduced quality of life and disability. Men with RA have twice the risk of death as the general population. Treatment decisions after failure with first-line therapy (methotrexate) are complex, involve trade-offs in terms of harm and require individualized decisions. SDM is the first principle of the RA treat to target guidelines and has been proposed as a way to reduce disparities. However, uptake of SDM is suboptimal and significant gaps in knowledge of effective interventions to support SDM exist – particularly in VA. Veterans with RA are disproportionately male, have more comorbidities, and have higher mortality rates in comparison to the general population. The RAiSeD study has the potential to speed the translation of SDM research within VA and nationally and to improve the quality of care for all persons with RA.