Table 2.
Stated preferences for five disposable designs
| Design (Monthly cost, assumes 3 products/day) | Day – Men n = 49 | Design (Monthly cost, assumes 3 products/day) | Day – Women n = 36 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Ranking design 1st (top) | % Stating design is generally acceptable to them | % Ranking design 1st (top) | % Stating design is generally acceptable to them | ||||
| With cost not known | When cost disclosed (n = 45)* | With cost not known | When cost disclosed (n = 29)* | ||||
| All‐in‐ones (£43.70) | 43 | 49 | 86 | Pull‐ups (£78.80) | 61 | 59 | 95 |
| T‐shaped/belted(£75.50) | 25 | 16 | 84 | Inserts (£43.70) | 17 | 28 | 83 |
| Pull‐ups (£78.80) | 20 | 16 | 80 | All‐in‐ones (£43.70) | 11 | 7 | 56 |
| Washables (£7.00) | 6 | 13 | 51 | T‐shaped/belted(£75.50) | 11 | 7 | 42 |
| Inserts (£43.70) | 6 | 6 | 37 | Washables (£7.00) | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Design (Monthly cost, assumes 1 product/night) | Night – Men n = 49 | Design (Monthly cost, assumes 1 product/night) | Night – Women n = 36 | ||||
| % Ranking design 1st (top) | % Stating design is generally acceptable to them | % Ranking design 1st (top) | % Stating design is generally acceptable to them | ||||
| With cost not known | When cost disclosed (n = 45)* | With cost not known | When cost disclosed (n = 30)* | ||||
| Washables (£5.95) | 53 | 56 | 82 | Pull‐ups (£25.50) | 53 | 47 | 92 |
| All‐in‐ones (£14.80) | 25 | 22 | 86 | Inserts (£22.60) | 19 | 30 | 77 |
| T‐shaped/belted(£25.15) | 10 | 13 | 61 | Washables (£5.95) | 11 | 10 | 25 |
| Pull‐ups (£25.50) | 8 | 4.5 | 50 | All‐in‐ones (£14.80) | 8.5 | 6.5 | 64 |
| Inserts (£22.60) | 4 | 4.5 | 22 | T‐shaped/belted(£25.15) | 8.5 | 6.5 | 53 |
*Some participants declined to repeat the ranking exercise after the costs of products had been disclosed.
Derivation of costs: There are many alternative products within each design group and considerable price variation amongst products. The costs used were based on retail/mail‐order prices prevailing in April 2005, because not all the products tested were provided through National Health Service Supply Chain. The cost of the most preferred product (of the three tested) in each design was used as the basis for the comparisons. For towelling washable items, costs allow for replacement at rates based on manufacturers’ data about product life (270 washes for absorbent product and 30 washes for plastic/fixation pants) and an assumption that users would hold stocks of 12 day products and six night products (to allow for laundry time). The laundry costs are not included.