Abstract
Objectives
Wearable Digital health technologies (WDHTs) can support and enhance self-management by giving individuals with chronic conditions more control over their health, safety and wellbeing. This study aimed to elicit chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients’ preferences for WDHTs that may help them manage their conditions.
Methods
We used discrete choice experiment (DCE) to elicit CKD patients’ preferences for WDHTs. The study design was informed by a multi-stage mixed-methods approach. This included a review of the published literature, focus group discussions and one-to-one interviews with CKD patients to identify relevant characteristics (that is, attributes and levels) associated with WDHTs. We collected the data from 113 patients (age ≥18 years) with stage 3 or above CKD. Multinomial logit and latent class (LC) models were used to estimate stated preferences for the attributes.
Results
Our multi-stage mixed-methods approach yielded nine potential attributes for consideration in a choice task. The final list included five attributes, cross-checked and validated by the research team and patient representatives. The results show heterogeneity in preferences with three patient segments (comprising 69%, 26% and 5% of our cohort, respectively). Respondents in all three classes preferred the discreet device that engages with the patient by offering options (as opposed to telling what to do), and that communicates medical information related to the progression of the condition. Individuals in class-1 who had strong preferences for the digital wearable device were likely to be older adults, male with stage 4/5 CKD.
Conclusions
This study demonstrated that how user preferences can be used in (and to inform the) early stages of development of WDHTs using multi-stage sequential and interdependent phases. Our results provide valuable insights that can be used to inform the development of different WDHTs for different segments of the CKD patients population, moving away from a one-size-fits-all provision and resulting in population health gains.
Wearable Digital health technologies (WDHTs) can support and enhance self-management by giving individuals with chronic conditions more control over their health, safety and wellbeing. This study aimed to elicit chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients’ preferences for WDHTs that may help them manage their conditions.
Methods
We used discrete choice experiment (DCE) to elicit CKD patients’ preferences for WDHTs. The study design was informed by a multi-stage mixed-methods approach. This included a review of the published literature, focus group discussions and one-to-one interviews with CKD patients to identify relevant characteristics (that is, attributes and levels) associated with WDHTs. We collected the data from 113 patients (age ≥18 years) with stage 3 or above CKD. Multinomial logit and latent class (LC) models were used to estimate stated preferences for the attributes.
Results
Our multi-stage mixed-methods approach yielded nine potential attributes for consideration in a choice task. The final list included five attributes, cross-checked and validated by the research team and patient representatives. The results show heterogeneity in preferences with three patient segments (comprising 69%, 26% and 5% of our cohort, respectively). Respondents in all three classes preferred the discreet device that engages with the patient by offering options (as opposed to telling what to do), and that communicates medical information related to the progression of the condition. Individuals in class-1 who had strong preferences for the digital wearable device were likely to be older adults, male with stage 4/5 CKD.
Conclusions
This study demonstrated that how user preferences can be used in (and to inform the) early stages of development of WDHTs using multi-stage sequential and interdependent phases. Our results provide valuable insights that can be used to inform the development of different WDHTs for different segments of the CKD patients population, moving away from a one-size-fits-all provision and resulting in population health gains.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | PUK21 |
| Pages (from-to) | S237 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Value in Health |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | S1 |
| Early online date | 4 Jun 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 4 Jun 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | Virtual ISPOR 2021: HEOR: Evolving for Tomorrow’s Challenges - Virtual, online Duration: 17 May 2021 → 20 May 2021 |
