Patient preferences for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Australia: a discrete choice experiment
Authors
Akram Ahmad
The University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
Muhammad Khan
Aston Pharmacy School, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
Parisa Aslani
The University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
Keywords:
Medicine, Ayurvedic, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, AYUSH, Complementary and alternative medicine, Conventional medicine, Discrete choice experiment, Factors, Indian migrants and patient preference
Abstract
Australia has a high proportion of migrants, with an increasing migration rate from India. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition common amongst the Indian population. The decision to initiate and continue medication therapy (conventional or ayurvedic medicine) is complex and is influenced by a wide range of factors.
Objective
To determine preferences for conventional vs. ayurvedic medicines in Indian migrants with diabetes, and to identify the factors that may influence their preferences.
Methods
A discrete choice experiment was conducted with participants in Australia who were migrants from India with type 2 diabetes (n=141). Each respondent evaluated eight choice tasks consisting of eight attributes describing medicines and outcomes of medication taking; and were asked to choose ‘conventional’, or ‘ayurvedic’ medicine. A mixed multinomial logit model was used to estimate preferences.
Results
Overall, respondents’ preference to initiate a medicine was negative for both conventional (β=−2.33164, p<0.001) and ayurvedic medicines (β=−3.12181, p<0.001); however, significant heterogenicity was noted in participants’ preferences (SD: 2.33122, p<0.001). Six significant attributes were identified to influence preferences. In decreasing rank order: occurrence of hypoglycaemic events (relative importance, RI=24.33%), weight change (RI=20.00%), effectiveness of medicine (RI=17.91%), instructions to take with food (RI=17.05%), side effects (RI=13.20%) and formulation (RI=7.49%). Respondents preferred to initiate a medicine despite potential side effects.
Conclusions
There was a greater preference for conventional medicine, though neither were preferred. Medicine attributes and medication-taking outcomes influenced people’s preferences for an antidiabetic medicine. It is important to identify individual preferences during healthcare consultations to ensure optimal medication-taking.
Keywords: Medicine, Ayurvedic, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, AYUSH, Complementary and alternative medicine, Conventional medicine, Discrete choice experiment, Factors, Indian migrants and patient preference
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