@article {Porteous:December 2006:0960-1643:911, author = "Porteous, Terry", author = "Ryan, Mandy", author = "Bond, Christine M.", author = "Hannaford, Phil", title = "Preferences for self-care or professional advice for minor illness: a discrete choice experiment", journal = "British Journal of General Practice", volume = "56", year = "December 2006", abstract = "Aim:

To determine the relative importance of factors that influence decision making in the management of minor illness, and how people trade between these factors.

Design of study:

Discrete choice experiment.

Setting:

Scottish electoral roll.

Method:

Six hundred and fifty-two responders of a previous national survey were invited to complete a discrete choice experiment questionnaire. This was used to measure relative preferences for managing symptoms of minor illness often associated with analgesic use. Three attributes were identified as important to participants: type of management, availability, and cost of managing symptoms. Trade-offs between these attributes were examined.

Results:

A 57% response rate was achieved (51% valid response rate). People preferred to manage symptoms by self-care and were willing to pay almost £23 to do so. Community pharmacy was the preferred source of advice. Responders preferred less waiting time and paying less money when managing symptoms, and were willing to trade between factors. A less preferred type of management became more attractive when waiting times and cost were reduced.

Conclusion:

Findings suggest that self-care is the preferred method of managing symptoms of minor illness. When developing services to support self-care, policy makers should invest in services that reduce waiting times and incur least cost to users.", pages = "911-917(7)", url = "http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/rcgp/bjgp/2006/00000056/00000533/art00004" }