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Determinant attributes in nursing home choice: profiling attribute segments.
1College of Business, Middle Tennessee State University, P.O. Box 450, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA.
Health Marketing Quarterly
|March 5, 2002
Summary
This study reveals that nursing home choice is determined by factors beyond mere importance, with cleanliness, location, and reputation being key. Decision-maker profiles, like income, also influence these determinant attributes.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Gerontology
- Consumer Behavior
Background:
- Most nursing home choice research examines attribute importance.
- This study differentiates between attribute importance and determinant attributes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify attributes that determine nursing home choice.
- To explore how decision-maker characteristics influence determinant attributes.
Main Methods:
- Dual-questioning methodology used with 177 nursing home decision-makers.
- Decision-makers rated attribute importance and perceived differences in nursing homes on those attributes.
Main Results:
- Determinant attributes for nursing home choice differ from importance attributes.
- Cleanliness, location, and reputation were identified as the most determinant attributes.
- Determinant attributes varied based on decision-maker profile characteristics (e.g., income, relationship to patient).
Conclusions:
- Nursing home choice is influenced by a distinct set of determinant attributes, not just importance.
- Decision-maker characteristics play a significant role in shaping which attributes are determinant.
- Understanding these determinants is crucial for effective nursing home marketing and policy.