Based on the four attributes presented, patients prefer liraglutide over exenatide. Preference is based on superior efficacy and less nausea more than less hypoglycemia and once-daily dosing.

Discusses needs/benefits segmentation in the context of alternative ways to segment markets. Describes the elements most important in the successful design, implementation and strategic use of needs/benefits segmentation. Counters a set of five commonly held myths, with implications for effective management of expectations and use of results.

Background. Hand function is essential to a person’s self-efficacy and greatly affects quality of life. Adapted utensils with handles of increased diameters have historically been used to assist individuals with arthritis or other hand disabilities for feeding, and other related activities of daily living. To date, minimal research has examined the biomechanical effects of modified handles, or quantified the differences in ranges of motion (ROM) when using a standard versus a modified handle. The aim of this study was to quantify the ranges of motion (ROM) required for a healthy hand to use different adaptive spoons with electrogoniometry for the purpose of understanding the physiologic advantages that adapted spoons may provide patients with limited ROM.Methods. Hand measurements included the distal interphalangeal joint (DIP), proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP), and metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) for each finger and the interphalangeal (IP) and MCP joint for the thumb. Participants were 34 females age 18–30 (mean age 20.38 ± 1.67) with no previous hand injuries or abnormalities. Participants grasped spoons with standard handles, and spoons with handle diameters of 3.18 cm (1.25 inch), and 4.45 cm (1.75 inch). ROM measurements were obtained with an electrogoniometer to record the angle at each joint for each of the spoon handle sizes.Results. A 3 × 3 × 4 repeated measures ANOVA (Spoon handle size by Joint by Finger) found main effects on ROM of Joint (F(2, 33) = 318.68, Partial η2 = .95, p < .001), Spoon handle size (F(2, 33) = 598.73, Partial η2 = .97, p < .001), and Finger (F(3, 32) = 163.83, Partial η2 = .94, p < .001). As the spoon handle diameter size increased, the range of motion utilized to grasp the spoon handle decreased in all joints and all fingers (p < 0.01).Discussion. This study confirms the hypothesis that less range of motion is required to grip utensils with larger diameter handles, which in turn may reduce challenges for patients with limited ROM of the hand.

Background: Patient preference has been recognized as being of increasing importance when choosing a drug therapy for chronic conditions for which there are no cures and for which long-term treatment is needed. Objective: To quantify treatment preferences and priorities of patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Methods: This was a prospective Internet-based survey of adult participants with moderate to severe CD who were recruited through two national survey panels in the US. The survey included questions about diagnostic and treatment histories, attitudes and perceptions related to CD, and CD therapy. In a discrete-choice-based conjoint exercise, respondents selected a preferred biologic treatment option from each of 16 pairs of drug profiles that systematically varied efficacy, convenience, and product history attributes. A hierarchical Bayes probit model was utilized to estimate respondent-level 'utility scores' for each of the attribute levels. In a separate exercise, respondents also directly ranked each specific attribute. Two-tailed tests were conducted to determine statistical significance at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 252 participants were surveyed, 202 (80%) of whom were biologic naive. Mean age was 44.1 years and mean disease duration was 11.6 years. The majority (71.8%) were female. In the conjoint exercise, the three attributes of greatest importance in accounting for patients' biologic therapy preference were (greater) proportion of patients achieving lasting remission, (decreased) frequency of medication administration, and (higher) proportion of patients responding in 2 weeks. In the direct ranking exercise, the proportion of CD patients achieving lasting remission was selected as the most important attribute by the most respondents (27%), followed by the proportion of CD patients responding in 2 weeks (23%).

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