To explore preferences and willingness to pay for attributes regarding stoma appliances amongst patients in the UK, France and Germany

Abstract

Objectives:

To explore patient preferences regarding stoma appliances in the UK, France and Germany and to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) for attributes of stoma appliances.

Research design and methods:

A discrete choice (DCE) survey was developed based on published literature, attributes of current available appliances and qualitative interviews with patients from the UK (N = 3), France (N = 2) and Germany (N = 2). Members from a patient panel in the UK, France and Germany were asked to participate in the DCE survey and to fill out two quality of life (QoL) questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the conditional logit model whereby the coefficients obtained from the model provided an estimate of the (log) odds ratios (ORs) of preference for attributes. WTP was estimated for each level of a given identified attribute.

Results:

Seven key attributes were identified for the DCE survey: comfort and elastic flexibility, skin problems, early detection of leakage, leakage, filter performance, service/help after hospital discharge and out-of-pocket cost. A total of 415 participants (166 patients in UK, 99 in France, and 150 in Germany) completed the questionnaires. All attributes were significant predictors of choice. The two most important drivers of preference were the attributes comfort and elastic flexibility and skin problems which resulted in high WTP values. Appliances which were able to detect episodes of leakage were also of high importance to participants’ appliances.

Conclusions:

The results show the importance of different attributes of stoma appliances for patients. Improving comfort and elastic flexibility, and risk of skin problems were the most important aspects of appliances. The WTP values indicate the value people place on improvement in each attribute of appliances.

Keywords: :

• Discrete choice experiment
• Preference
• Stoma care

Transparency

Declaration of funding

The study was sponsored by Coloplast Ltd. Coloplast also contributed to the design of the study and the preparation of the manuscript.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

B.N. and A.L. have disclosed that they are employees of ICON plc, a company that received funding from Coloplast to conduct this study. E.E. has disclosed that he was an employee of ICON plc at the time this study was conducted. T.P. has disclosed that she is an employee of Coloplast.

CMRO peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by research funding from Coloplast A/S to ICON plc. No restrictions were, however, placed on the design of the study, the choice of included data sources or the presentation of results. The authors specifically thank Mikkel Rasmussen and Martin Nottmeier of Coloplast for contributing to data interpretation and critical scientific review of the manuscript.