Patient treatment engagement scale (PTES) for inflammatory bowel disease: exploring background factors

Abstract Background The Patient Treatment Engagement Scale (PTES) is a simplified tool for assessing patient involvement in treatment decision-making, which is an important element of patient-centered care. Shared Decision Making (SDM) is the standard measure in this field; however, it is time-consuming and often difficult for non-physician healthcare professionals to apply in routine practice. Therefore, in this study we adopted PTES as a more pragmatic alternative and exploratively analyzed factors associated with PTES scores among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods Individual patient data were collected via a web-based questionnaire. Items potentially associated with PTES, based on previous studies, were screened, and multicollinearity was assessed using Kendall’s τ. A multiple regression model was constructed using the ordinary least squares method, and standardized β values and variance inflation factor (VIF) values were calculated. Subgroup analyses were performed separately for ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), and cross-validation was conducted. Results The main factors associated with PTES scores were the number of treatment options (β = 0.191), presence of complications (β = 0.128), trust in the attending physician (β = 0.119), number of trusted healthcare professionals (β = 0.099), and availability of supportive communities (β = 0.068). The number of treatment options had a particularly strong influence on UC patients, whereas the number of trusted healthcare professionals had a greater impact on CD patients. Conclusions Providing multiple treatment options and building trust with healthcare providers are crucial factors associated with higher PTES scores, reflecting greater patient engagement in treatment decision-making.