The DECISION project: DiscrEte Choice experIment Spinal manipulative therapy for lOw back paiN: A study protocol
Lobke P. De la Ruelle,
Annemarie de Zoete,
Raymond Ostelo,
G. Ardine de Wit,
Marianne H. Donker,
Sidney M. Rubinstein
Affiliations
Lobke P. De la Ruelle
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science and Amsterdam Movement Science research institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.
Annemarie de Zoete
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science and Amsterdam Movement Science research institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of General Practice, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Raymond Ostelo
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science and Amsterdam Movement Science research institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, the Netherlands
G. Ardine de Wit
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science and Amsterdam Movement Science research institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Centre for Public Health, Healthcare and Society, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Marianne H. Donker
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science and Amsterdam Movement Science research institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Sidney M. Rubinstein
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science and Amsterdam Movement Science research institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
The smallest worthwhile effect (SWE) is the smallest beneficial effect of an intervention that justifies the costs, risks, and inconveniences. The objective is to establish the SWE of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) for the treatment of low back pain (LBP), and to gain insight into how different attributes of the treatment are traded among each other when choosing SMT. Part 1. A mixed-methods study will be conducted to establish and prioritize a list of attributes influencing choices for those who consider SMT for the treatment of LBP. Individual interviews and consensus groups with chiropractors, manual therapists, and osteopaths and their patients will be conducted. Interviews and consensus groups will be voice-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Part 2. A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) will be conducted among people with LBP who have limited to no experience with SMT. Participants will be recruited through an online independent panel company. The survey will consist of several choice sets with attributes and their levels established from Part 1. The DCE will be preceded by a short survey to understand the clinical aspects (i.e. presentation, history and previous treatment for LBP) as well as socio-demographic characteristics of the participants.
