Results latent class model (LCM) distinguished four classes of respondents
| LCM (responder type) | Latent class 1 All attributes (except safety) balanced | Latent class 2 Emphasis on efficacy, safety and patient′s preference, economic aspects less relevant | Latent class 3 All attributes except cost-effectiveness balanced | Latent class 4 Emphasise on efficacy, patient dislike and costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average class probability† | 43.2% | 22.6% | 23.1% | 11.1% |
| Efficacy | ||||
| Moderate response | Reference level | Reference level | Reference level | Reference level |
| Good response | 1.98*** | 3.65*** | 2.32*** | 1.74*** |
| Remission | 3.08*** | 6.39*** | 3.38*** | 3.85*** |
| Safety | ||||
| Very rare | Reference level | Reference level | Reference level | Reference level |
| Rare | 0.09 | −1.38* | −0.96*** | −0.44 |
| Uncommon | −0.07 | −2.71*** | −2.45*** | −0.58* |
| Patient’s preference | ||||
| Favours treatment | 0.33*** | 2.35*** | −0.37** | 0.53 |
| Neutral | Reference level | Reference level | Reference level | Reference level |
| Disfavours treatment | −0.84*** | 1.53*** | −1.34*** | −3.17*** |
| Cost-effectiveness (10 000 EUR/quality adjusted life year) | −0.29*** | −0.28* | −0.03 | −0.07 |
| Overall medication costs (1000 EUR/year) | −0.13** | −0.02 | −0.11*** | −0.09*** |
| Constant | 0.02 | −1.64*** | −0.22** | −0.34 |
| Class probability model—cluster 2‡ | – | 1.41*** | 2.09*** | 1.16* |
*significant at 10%, **significant at 5%, *** Significant at 1%.
†Average class probability=probability that individual respondent chooses drug treatments according to respective responder types (all 559 responses from 12 countries included in the analysis).
‡Parameter estimates indicate that rheumatologists belonging to country cluster 2 (consisting of Romania, France, Portugal and Italy) compared with country cluster 1 (reference) are significantly more likely to be in classes 2, 3 or 4.
EUR, Euro.