UsER PREFERENCE STUDY OVERVIEW
Hypothesis
Based on market research conducted by Phillips Medisize, there appears to be a perception in industry that the additional use steps required by a reusable autoinjector are seen as unacceptable, or (at a minimum) significant enough that a user would be negatively biased if they had to use a reusable autoinjector over a single-use option. Phillips Medisize decided to conduct a more in-depth user study to examine whether this perception is shared by users, or if other features of reusable devices may compensate for the additional use-steps involved.
Study Design
The user preference study was conducted with 52 participants, including 18 adults, 18 adolescents (both injection-naïve and injection experienced), and 16 health care providers all based across the South, East, and Central United States. It involved a three-way direct comparison between Aria, a mechanical reusable device concept, and a common disposable autoinjector, with efforts made to minimize unconscious bias between the 3 different devices used (e.g., standardized instructional materials and direct comparisons of features). In addition to Ease of Use and Preference ratings, study participants also provided their insights into which factors (such as environmental impact, reusability, product cost and number of use-steps) most influence their thinking in which autoinjector option they would select if they had a choice.
Key Study Takeaways
Ease of Use is the most important factor in selecting which autoinjector would be preferred to use, irrespective of which user group is asked. Whilst not necessarily considered the “easiest” to use, Aria was most preferred both before and after the injection simulation with each device. This was primarily driven by the high-quality and technical appearance, continuous feedback during injection, and reduced environmental impact.
User Preference for Reusability - 60% of users preferred the Aria device over a 2-step disposable, appreciating its environmental benefits and added features, despite involving more operational steps. This preference for Aria was statistically significant (p <0.001). Ease of use was not directly linked to fewer steps, highlighting that user preference for reusability and added functionality outweighed the simplicity of operation.
Multisensory Feedback Enhances Confidence - Users specifically preferred Aria because of the visual, auditory (e.g., LEDs, sounds), and tactile feedback, contributing to a sense of correct injection completion and reducing anxiety.
Environmental Impact is important Particularly for injection-experienced users and adolescents - The environmental benefit of reusable devices was ranked highly and influenced preferences because the ease of use across all devices tested was broadly the same. These highlights are a small snapshot of the overall findings. Please contact us if you would be interested in finding out more about the study and the results.
Featured Resources
