Patient preferences for diabetes management among people with type 2 diabetes in Denmark – a discrete choice experiment

Abstract

Objectives:

To study patient preferences for diabetes-treatment related attributes among people with type 2 diabetes.

Research design and methods:

Participants were recruited from three diabetes out-patient clinics and two general practitioner surgeries. Data were collected electronically and results were analysed using a standard statistical model designed for choice sets (conditional logit). Six characteristics relating to treatment of diabetes were examined: glycated haemoglobin level (HbA_1c), weight (gain or loss), hypoglycaemic events, need for injections, transient nausea and need for blood glucose testing.

Results:

Two hundred and seventy participants with type 2 diabetes (178 males; 92 females) were included. Patients placed the most value on losing weight and were willing to pay the most to lose 6 kg of weight. Loss of 3 kg of weight was the next highly valued, followed by dropping one percentage point in HbA_1c level. Avoidance of nausea and a reduction in hypoglycaemic events from two per month to none was also highly valued. Patients were willing to accept one injection per day if they, for instance, simultaneously lost 1.4 kg. A limitation of the study is that the survey was web-based and response rates for such surveys can be extremely variable.

Conclusion:

Patients with type 2 diabetes in Denmark were willing to pay for the health benefits associated with improved diabetes treatment, the most important of these being weight loss or avoidance of weight gain, and reduction of HbA_1c and of hypoglycaemic events.

Keywords::

• Diabetes
• Discrete choice experiment
• HbA_1c
• Hypoglycaemia
• Patient preference
• Weight
• Willingness to pay

Transparency

Declaration of funding

This survey was sponsored by Novo Nordisk A/S (Bagsværd, Denmark).

Tina Vilsbøll^b

Jens Faber^c

Declaration of financial/other relationships

R.P.G. is an employee at Novo Nordisk A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark. M.L. is a Novo Nordisk A/S shareholder, and an employee of Novo Nordisk Scandinavia. J.E.H. has received research grants from and is co-investigator of studies performed by Novo Nordisk. M.B. is a Consultant for Novo Nordisk. T.V. and J.F. have disclosed that they have no significant relationships with or financial interests in any commercial companies related to this study or article.

CMRO peer reviewers may have been paid for their review work. The peer reviewers disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Acknowledgements

This publication was supported by Novo Nordisk A/S (Bagsværd, Denmark) with editorial support from John Clarke, ESP Bioscience (Crowthorne, UK).

The authors wish to thank GP Gitte Krogh Madsen and GP Niels Christian Hansen for recruitment support of people with type 2 diabetes.