Patient and Healthcare Professional Preferences for Prescription Weight Loss Medications in Australia: Two Discrete...

Overweight and obesity are common in Australia and among the leading risk factors for ill health. Maintained weight loss of >5-10% can prevent and reduce the risk of obesity-related comorbidities. Prescription weight loss medications plus lifestyle interventions can result in additional weight loss compared with lifestyle interventions alone, but these medications are under-prescribed in Australia. Our aim was to develop a greater understanding of the treatment preferences of people with overweight or obesity and the healthcare practitioners (HCPs) who treat them.

An online survey of Australian adults with overweight or obesity and treating HCPs was conducted in 2020. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) approach was used to determine what is most important to people when evaluating oral and injectable prescription weight loss medications. Participants were asked to choose between three hypothetical treatment alternatives: "Oral pill"; "Subcutaneous injection pen (replaceable needle)"; "Disposable subcutaneous injection pen (hidden needle)"; and an opt-out option ("None of these").

The online survey and DCE were completed by 193 patients and 104 HCPs. For both patients and HCPs, all treatment alternatives (oral, replaceable injection and disposable injection) were preferred over the opt-out. Gastrointestinal side effects, followed by success rate, percentage body weight lost, and cost were the most important attributes to patients. For HCPs, percentage body weight loss was the most important treatment attribute, followed by success rate, gastrointestinal side effects and cost. While most patients reported relatively low needle fear, physicians reported relatively high perceived patient needle fear.

Clinician-patient discussions about treatments for weight loss should cover the option of prescription weight loss medications, including injectable medications, which patients may be less apprehensive about than physicians believe. Treatments with a high success rate and low or manageable risk of gastrointestinal side effects may be preferred over alternatives.