Background
Methods
Attribute | Levels |
---|---|
Chance that the medicine makes you feel better by relieving your anemia symptoms | ▪ 75 out of 100 (75%) |
▪ 50 out of 100 (50%) | |
▪ 25 out of 100 (25%) | |
Number of red blood cell transfusions needed each month | ▪ 0 transfusions each month |
▪ 1 transfusion each month | |
▪ 2 transfusions each month | |
Risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke because of the medicine | ▪ 0 out of 100 (0%) |
▪ 2 out of 100 (2%) | |
▪ 6 out of 100 (6%) | |
How you receive the medicine | ▪ An injection directly into the dialysis line |
▪ An injection under your skin | |
Out-of-pocket cost each month | ▪ $50 each month |
▪ $100 each month | |
▪ $200 each month |
Survey instrument development
Attributes | |
Having an allergic reaction because of a blood transfusion | |
Having lung damage because of a blood transfusion that makes it hard to breathe | |
Getting a serious infection because of a blood transfusion | |
Increasing the time you need to wait for a kidney transplant because of a blood transfusion | |
Increasing the chance your body will reject a kidney transplant if you get one because of a blood transfusion | |
Needing to arrange transportation and spend 1 to 2 h at a hospital or infusion center to receive a blood transfusion | |
Having a 1% risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke because of the anemia medicine |
Study population
Statistical analyses
Discrete-choice experiment analyses
Best-worst scaling analyses
Results
Respondent characteristics
Characteristic | Statistic or category | Overall (N = 200) |
---|---|---|
Demographic characteristics
| ||
Age (years) | Mean (SD) | 54.1 (13.4) |
Median | 54.0 | |
Gender | Female | 98 (49.2%) |
Male | 99 (49.7%) | |
Prefer not to answer | 2 (1.0%) | |
Missing | 1 | |
Race/ethnicity | White or Caucasian | 102 (51.0%) |
Black or African American | 66 (33.0%) | |
Other | 36 (18.0%) | |
Prefer not to answer | 4 (2.0%) | |
Highest level of education | High school or less than high school | 44 (22.0%) |
More than high school | 156 (78.0%) | |
Clinical characteristics
| ||
Duration of time receiving dialysis | Less than 6 months | 3 (1.5%) |
6 months to less than 1 year | 8 (4.0%) | |
1 year to less than 2 years | 30 (15.0%) | |
2 years to less than 5 years | 89 (44.5%) | |
5 years to less than 10 years | 54 (27.0%) | |
10 years or more | 16 (8.0%) | |
Ever received a diagnosis of anemia from a doctor or health care professional | Yes | 163 (81.5%) |
No | 21 (10.5%) | |
Don’t know/not sure | 16 (8.0%) | |
Ever experienced the following anemia symptoms (check all that apply) | Feel tired and have little energy for your daily activities | 152 (93.3%) |
Have a rapid heartbeat | 50 (30.7%) | |
Have little or no appetite | 80 (49.1%) | |
Feel depressed or “down in the dumps” | 82 (50.3%) | |
Have trouble thinking clearly | 69 (42.3%) | |
Feel dizzy or have headaches | 71 (43.6%) | |
Feel short of breath | 76 (46.6%) | |
Have trouble sleeping | 113 (69.3%) | |
Look pale | 48 (29.4%) | |
None of the above | 3 (1.8%) | |
Which of the following anemia symptoms would be most bothersome? | Feeling tired and having little energy for your daily activities | 125 (62.5%) |
Shortness of breath | 51 (25.5%) | |
Trouble thinking clearly | 24 (12.0%) | |
Ever had a red blood cell transfusion | Yes | 90 (45.0%) |
No | 92 (46.0%) | |
Don’t know/not sure | 18 (9.0%) | |
Ever experienced a heart attack or stroke | Yes | 40 (20.0%) |
No | 155 (77.5%) | |
Don’t know/not sure | 5 (2.5%) | |
Usual mode of receiving anemia medicationa
| As an injection directly into the dialysis line during my regular dialysis treatment | 128 (64.0%) |
As an injection under my skin while I am receiving my regular dialysis treatment | 7 (3.5%) | |
I do not currently take an anemia medicine | 65 (32.5%) |
Preference weights and relative importance of treatment attributes
Willingness to pay
Attribute | Improvement | Willingness to pay per month (95% Confidence Interval) |
---|---|---|
Chance that the medicine makes you feel better by relieving your anemia symptoms | From 50% to 75% | $46 ($21–$70) |
From 25% to 50% | $48 ($25–$71) | |
From 25% to 75% | $94 ($60–$128) | |
Number of red blood cell transfusions needed each month | From 1 transfusion to 0 transfusions | $37 ($14–$60) |
From 2 transfusions to 1 transfusion | $80 ($53–$108) | |
From 2 transfusions to 0 transfusions | $118 ($83–$152) | |
Risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke because of the medicine | From 2% to 0% | $50 ($25–$74) |
From 6% to 2% | $70 ($46–$93) | |
From 6% to 0% | $119 ($85–$154) | |
How you receive the medicine | From an injection under your skin to an injection directly into the dialysis line | $63 ($41–$84) |