Preferences for long-termcare among elderly patients who had a stroke with disabilities in Eastern China: protocol for a ditscrete choice experiment study.

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of disability among older adults worldwide, often resulting in significant physical, cognitive and emotional impairments that require long-term care. With ageing populations and increasing stroke prevalence, the demand for appropriate and sustainable long-term care is growing. However, designing care models that align with the complex needs and preferences of elderly patients who had a stroke remains a challenge. This study employs a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to measure and quantify patients' preferences for long-term care. The primary objectives of this study are as follows: (1) identify and examine the key attributes and levels of long-term care that are most valued by this patient population, (2) assess patients' preferences for long-term care and explore the role of each attribute on overall preference and (3) explore heterogeneity in preferences based on participants' characteristics through subgroup analyses. The research was conducted in accordance with the design programme of the DCE study. Seven attributes were developed through a systematic literature review, in-depth interviews and experts consultation. A partial factorial survey design was generated through an orthogonal experimental design to optimise the choice scenario sets. We plan to conduct a DCE questionnaire survey in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China, and recruit at least 500 participants. The final data will be analysed through a mixed logit model and a latent class model to explore the preference of elderly patients who had a stroke with disabilities for long-term care. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Nanjing Medical University-Affiliated Suzhou Hospital (K-2024-096 K01). All participants will be required to provide informed consent. The findings of this study will be disseminated and shared with interested patient groups and the general public through a variety of channels, including online blogs, policy briefs, national and international conferences, and peer-reviewed journals.