Preferences of general practitioners for delivering adult vaccination: A discrete choice experiment

Abstract

Preventive health workers rather than general practitioners (GPs) are the principal providers of vaccines in China, which may be a determinant of the unmet demand for vaccination, especially for adults, in recent years. GPs’ preferences had a significant influence on alternative approaches to adult vaccination delivery. To better understand GP’s preferences for adult vaccination services, we employed a discrete choice experiment with seven attributes: income, setting, information system, workshop, workload, performance measurement, and managerial support. Mixed logit models and latent class models were used for statistical analyses. In general, support from primary healthcare managers was the strongest driver of choice, followed by a 10% increase in workload, separate adult vaccination clinic, 5% increase in workload, and independent information system. Monthly income was significantly associated with provision of adult vaccination services. Based on the influence of latent factors, GPs fell into three classes that were correlated with GPs’ years of practice, workload, income satisfaction, and knowledge-attitude-practicescore. Classes 1 and 2 valued the service setting and performance measurement differently, while Class 3 valued the service setting only (preferred separate adult vaccination clinics to provide service). This study generated actionable information to guide innovation in the adult vaccination delivery system in China.