Assessment of patients' preferences regarding the characteristics associated with the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
OBJECTIVE
Patient preferences regarding characteristics associated with the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) must be determined to increase the compatibility between the patients and the treatments, but as yet no studies have been performed regarding these characteristics. Here, we evaluate the preferred characteristics associated with the treatment of patients with COPD.


METHODS
The expectations of patients receiving copd therapy were assessed in six categories: time allocated by the physician to listen to patients' complaints, treatment to be applied, estimated adverse effect frequency concerning the therapy, ability of patients to visit the same physician each time, integral approach of the physician to the treatment of the patient, and therapy cost. These groups were divided into categories of therapy indicating 25 alternative treatment methods, using conjoint analysis. Patients were sorted to the 25 types of treatment with regard to their preferences.


RESULTS
The major expectation of conjoint analysis associated with the treatment of COPD patients is for the therapy to allow the patients to completely recover from their complaints. The order preferred by patients of other treatment expectations is from sufficient time to be allowed by the physician to listen to the patient, to no cost for the treatment, to minimum adverse effects resulting from the treatment, to each follow-up to be performed by the same physician, and to the physician performing an assessment of the patient's well-being, rather than examining only the areas of complaint.


CONCLUSIONS
The major expectation of COPD patients regarding treatment was to completely recover with the help of the therapy. Considering the expectations of the patient may help improve the compatibility of the patient with the treatment.
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kırıkkale, Kırıkkale, Turkey.
Emel
E
Bulcun
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kırıkkale, Kırıkkale, Turkey.
Mehmet
M
Ekici
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kırıkkale, Kırıkkale, Turkey.
Aydanur
A
Ekici
D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits; D010349:Patient Compliance; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000191:economics; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
COPD; conjoint analysis; preferences of treatment