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The Article in Brief
Using Best-Worst Scaling to Understand Patient Priorities: A Case Example of Papanicolaou Tests for Homeless Women
Eve Wittenberg , and colleagues
Background Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) is a survey method for assessing individuals' priorities: what is best and worst among a set of items. This report applies the BWS method to cervical cancer screening priorities for homeless women.
What This Study Found Best-Worst Scaling quantifies patients' priorities in a way that is transparent and accessible. To demonstrate the use of BWS in primary care, participants were asked to evaluate attributes of Pap services. The biggest influence on participants' decision about whether to have a Pap test was the availability of support for issues beyond health, followed by no-cost testing. Least important was the availability of accommodations for hygiene and participants' familiarity with the clinician.
Implications
- The authors conclude that BWS can be easily understood by patients and is relatively easy to administer. This approach can be applied to other areas of health care where prioritization is helpful in guiding decisions.