Abstract
Objective: Preferences regarding the characteristics associated with treatment of COPD must be detected in order to increase their compatibility of the patients to the treatments. We have evaluated the preferred characteristics associated with treatment of patients in COPD.
Method:Expectations of patients from COPD therapy were assessed under 6 categories. These can be summarized as follows: Time to be allocated by physician to listen patients complaints, treatment to be applied regarding the complaints, adverse effect frequency, status of patients who are each time visiting the same physician, integral approach of the physician for the treatment of patient and the therapy cost. These groups were divided into categories of theraphy indicating 25 alternative treatment methods by using conjoint analysis. Preferences of patients were sorted according to their order of choice.
Results:The major expectation associated to the treatment of COPD patients is to completely recover the complanits by the theraphy. The order of the choices of patients with respect to their other expectations of treatment are respectively as follows; sufficient time to be allowed by the physician to listen the patients, no cost for treatment, minimum side effects resulting from the treatment, each follow-up to be performed by the same physician, physicians entire assessment of the patient rather than only the complaints.
Conclusion:The major expectation of COPD patients regarding treatment was to completely recover by the help of the theraphy regarding their complaints. Considering the expectations of the patient may help to improve the compatibility of the treatment.
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