Study of Patient Preferences in Dialysis Treatment Choice: a Discrete Choice Experiment (PREFDOM)

April 9, 2026 updated by: University Hospital, Caen

Background Compared to in-center dialysis, home dialysis is associated with better quality of life and lower healthcare system costs. However, barriers remain to its wider adoption. Chronic disease, particularly at an advanced stage, is a major driver of socioeconomic vulnerability. Among dialysis patients, the proportion of individuals covered by France's Universal Health Protection scheme (PUMA) is higher than in the general population. Similarly, those from the most disadvantaged social classes are overrepresented among dialysis patients compared to the overall French population. Dialysis can also lead to job loss. Financial compensation schemes may influence the choice of home dialysis. In France, patients who perform dialysis at home-either independently or with help from a trained family caregiver-are eligible for a "third-person compensatory allowance" (DTP). For some socioeconomically vulnerable patients, eligibility for DTP may influence their decision to opt for home treatment. The DTP is specific to the French healthcare system but could be considered in other countries, particularly within the European Union. Indeed, in most countries with income levels comparable to France, the additional cost of home dialysis is borne by the patient. This study aims to determine whether receiving financial compensation plays a role in choosing a dialysis modality (home-based versus in-center or assisted home dialysis).

Objectives To investigate factors associated with patient preferences regarding renal replacement therapy.

Methods A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted comparing two options: home dialysis (PD and HHD, with DTP) versus in-center hemodialysis (no DTP).

Perspectives If financial compensation influences patients' choices toward home dialysis, the DTP model could be used to address barriers to home-based treatment.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

500

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • France
      • Caen, France, 14000
        • Recruiting
        • CHU De Caen
        • Contact:
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Ludivine Videloup, RN
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Sonia Guillouët, PhD
      • Caen, France, 14000

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with chronic kidney disease in the advanced stage

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adult patient
  • Patient with advanced chronic kidney disease receiving pre-surgery information (presentation of methods)
  • Patient enrolled in a social security program
  • Patient able to read and understand French
  • Patient able to complete the questionnaire (cognitive and sensory)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Minor patients
  • Patients transitioning from one method of extrarenal purification to another
  • Patients requiring urgent dialysis
  • Patients who cannot read or understand French
  • Patients under legal protection (guardianship, curatorship, judicial protection)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Choice of dialysis
Patients with an end-stage renal disease who need to make a choice concerning their prefered dialysis' modality
Other: Questionnaire

Patients are given a questionnaire. The first part concerns sociodemographic characteristics. The second part concerns the choice of replacement therapy itself.

Patients must choose between three possible treatments: "If you had to choose a treatment based on the options provided, which one would you choose? Patients make this choice 13 times (the options change).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Preference coefficients for renal replacement therapy attributes, including monthly financial allowance, estimated using a discrete choice experiment
Time Frame: Baseline (during the single discrete choice experiment assessment at study enrollment)

Participants will complete 13 discrete choice tasks, each requiring selection of one preferred scenario among three renal replacement therapy options. Scenarios are defined by combinations of five attributes: schedule flexibility, nurse availability, dialysis frequency, timing of sessions, and monthly financial allowance.

Preferences will be analyzed within a random utility framework using a mixed logit model. The primary outcome is the estimation of marginal utilities (preference coefficients) associated with each attribute level. Particular focus will be placed on the coefficient associated with the monthly financial allowance attribute, to assess its influence on the probability of choosing a home-based treatment modality.

This approach allows indirect elicitation of patient preferences without explicit ranking, consistent with economic theory of revealed preferences.
Baseline (during the single discrete choice experiment assessment at study enrollment)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University Hospital, Caen

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

December 16, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 25, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 9, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 9, 2026

Last Verified

December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 24-0172

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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