# Understanding the preferences of younger women for the delivery of a service to predict breast cancer risk: a discrete choice experiment

## TL;DR

This study explores how younger women prefer to receive breast cancer risk prediction services, focusing on service design factors that could increase uptake.

## Contribution

The study introduces a discrete choice experiment to identify design preferences for breast cancer risk prediction services among younger women.

## Key findings

- Predicted uptake for a risk-prediction service ranged from 77 to 89%.
- Participants preferred services with flexible, self-bookable appointments.
- Around 7% of women would never opt for risk prediction, and 30% were influenced by service design.

## Abstract

This study aimed to understand the preferences of a sample of younger women (30–39 years) for the attributes of models of service delivery for a breast cancer risk-prediction service to identify how best to design a service to optimise uptake.

A discrete choice experiment was used to quantify the preferences of a purposive sample of younger women (aged 30–39) without prior knowledge of their risk of developing breast cancer. Respondents chose from a series of questions including two unlabelled alternatives, representing different models of a risk-prediction service, and an opt-out alternative. Data were analysed using random parameter logit and latent class models to explore potential heterogeneity in preferences for the intervention.

The predicted uptake for a risk-prediction service ranged from 77 to 89%. Participants preferred a service with more flexible appointments which could be booked by the individual themselves. Latent class analysis suggested that around 7% of women would never have their risk predicted and for approximately 30% of women the choice would depend on the design of the service.

Younger women would be likely to choose to have their breast cancer risk predicted, although some groups were sensitive to the design of the prediction service.