An Urban Community's Preferences for Hypothetical Outcomes of Analgesic Pain Treatment

We assessed preferences of urban residents regarding hypothetical treatment outcomes related to analgesic use to determine how well subjects understood the severity of the outcomes, describe community preferences for these outcomes, and identify predictors of preferences. In a cross-sectional telephone survey, we obtained mean ratings for hypothetical outcomes that included two dimensions of clinical pain (pain severity and potential side effects): A = moderate pain, three side effects; B = mild pain, three side effects; C = moderate pain, one side effect. We focused on 111 respondents who rated Outcome A, moderate pain with three side effects, as the worst condition (the logical choice). Being Spanish speaking predicted preferences across treatment Outcomes A and B. Spanish-speaking subjects and those in fair to poor health tended to view all three outcomes more negatively than other respondents. Knowledge of public preferences can help clinicians better understand factors that influence treatment choices and may help them motivate their patients to adhere to analgesic regimens.