Women's preferences for prevention of bone loss.

OBJECTIVE

Despite the serious consequences of osteoporosis, few women use pharmacologic measures to prevent postmenopausal bone loss. We used an interactive computerized questionnaire to examine women's preferences for prevention of osteoporosis.

METHODS

We administered a choice-based conjoint analysis survey (CBCA) to consecutive early postmenopausal women in a shopping center. The questionnaire was constructed to measure preferences for pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic measures to prevent postmenopausal bone loss. Women were also given the option of choosing "none," i.e., to defer or refuse all options. Utilities were calculated based on a Hierarchical Bayes model using Monte Carlo-Markov chain algorithms. We performed simulations based on women's values for specific treatment characteristics to estimate choice.

RESULTS

A total of 212 women agreed to complete the survey (42% participation rate). Between 18% and 47% of the women surveyed (mean age 52+/-5 yrs) were predicted to choose once-weekly medications to prevent postmenopausal bone loss, assuming treatment confers an absolute lifetime risk reduction in fractures of at least 10%.

CONCLUSION

In this CBCA survey, which derived preferences based on how women make tradeoffs between specific treatment characteristics, a significant percentage of women were willing to use once-weekly medications to prevent postmenopausal bone loss.