Creating a tool to help parents and doctors make decisions together in pediatric care
Official title: Development and Evaluation of an Instrument to Measure Shared Decision-Making in Pediatrics
Funded at Seattle Children's Hospital · NIH-11087683 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is creating a new tool to help parents and doctors work better together when making healthcare decisions for young children, making sure everyone's voice is heard to improve the care kids receive.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $386,987 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HS029142-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11087683 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are parents of young children who are facing medical decisions in a pediatric setting.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not involved in shared decision-making processes or those whose care does not involve pediatric considerations may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new tool to measure how well parents and clinicians work together to make healthcare decisions for young children. It aims to create a reliable instrument that captures both the parent and clinician perspectives during the shared decision-making process. By using a structured approach, the research will evaluate how this tool can improve communication and decision-making in various pediatric settings. The goal is to enhance the quality of care by ensuring that both parties are actively involved in the decision-making process.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved healthcare outcomes for children by fostering better communication and collaboration between parents and clinicians.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that improving shared decision-making can enhance patient satisfaction and outcomes, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Opel, Douglas J — Seattle Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Opel, Douglas J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how octopuses integrate sensory information and make decisions
This study is exploring how octopuses use their arms to grip things by looking closely at their nervous system and movements, which could help us understand their amazing abilities better.
-
NoviGuide for Newborn Care in Pakistan
A small NIH grant to test a pocket-sized decision support tool for nurses and doctors to improve newborn care in Pakistan.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
-
Shared decision-making to prevent cancer in South Africa
A multi-level, school-based program in South Africa helps families, teachers, and health workers make informed choices to prevent cervical and related cancers, especially where HIV is common.
-
Improving contraception decisions for women with substance use disorders after childbirth
A patient-centered decision tool called MyPath aims to help postpartum women with substance use disorders choose and keep effective contraception after giving birth.
-
Alcohol use and suicidal thoughts: how decision-making affects risk
This project looks at how acute alcohol use and people’s decision-making patterns relate to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adults.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.