Preferences of overweight and obese patients for weight loss programmes: a discrete-choice experiment

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality and also appears to have an adverse effect on health-related quality of life. Though advances in obesity therapy and rehabilitation can be observed, the long-lasting outcome is dissatisfying to most of the patients and, therefore, the whole health care system. THEORY AND METHODOLOGY: The study aims to identify key attributes of coordinated weight loss programmes and elicit patients’ preferences for overweight and obesity therapy in rehabilitation programmes. A self-administered survey measuring attitudes and preferences was conducted in Germany in 2009. Discrete-choice experiment scenarios were developed using a fractional factorial design and results analysed using a random effects logit model. RESULTS: N=110 patients completed the questionnaire, 51.82% of these were male, the mean age was 53.05 years and mean body mass index was 33.54 kg/m2 (SD 7.73). A total of 823 choices could be included in the final estimation. The most important aspects for the respondents’ selection were care coordination (coefficient 1.473; SE 0.185) and individual therapy (coefficient 1.446; SE 0.188). The aspect ‘infrastructure of care’ (coefficient 0.570; SE 0.175) was less relevant. All attributes led to significant coefficients. CONCLUSION: Patients value coordination of care and individual therapy most highly. So weight reduction therapy should enable patients to receive a structured, coordinated and interpersonal therapy that is tailored to their personal needs, behaviour and circumstances. Patients are willing to forego infrastructure quality in favour of better coordination and structure in their therapy.