Abstract
AIM: The aim of this study was to assess Israeli lay persons' preferences for setting priorities for the care of Alzheimer's disease (AD). BACKGROUND: As the knowledge about AD accumulates, and especially as more therapeutic and non-therapeutic interventions for its early diagnosis and treatment are developed, health-care costs associated with the disease rise dramatically. Therefore, setting priorities for funding these therapies, as well as other costs associated with AD is becoming an increasingly complex need. METHODS: A convenience sample of 624 community-dwelling men and women participated in the study (mean age = 49, range = 20-90). Participants were asked how strongly they agreed or disagreed with 18 criteria that would be used to set priorities for the allocation of resources in the area of AD. RESULTS: High-weight criteria included being a life-threatening condition and the benefit of treatment. Average-weight criteria included the severity of the disease, treatment costs and equity of access. The age of the patient also was highly rated. All other patient-related criteria were rated as low. Value orientations and education were the main variables associated with participants' preferences. CONCLUSIONS: The lay public seems to endorse a multi-criteria decision process for the allocation of resources in the area of AD. Similar to other diseases--disease-related criteria were highly preferred. These preferences should be compared with those of other stakeholders such as clinicians and policy makers.