Table 1 summarises the various attributes (variables) and their assigned levels as included in the conjoint analysis ranking exercise.Table 1Attributes and their assigned levels included in the ranking exerciseAttributesDescriptionLevelsAgePatient’s age at the time s/he got sick16 years old37 years old68 years oldHealthy lifestyleCharacterizes whether the patient is a non-smoker, with mild alcohol consumption, healthy eating habits and sufficient workout, in contrast to a patient who lacks one or more of the abovementioned characteristicsYesNoType of diseaseThe patient’s type of conditionChronicAcuteSeverity of diseaseHealth status prior to treatmentMildSevereHealth improvementHealth improvement expected after treatmentSmallMediocreLargeCost of treatmentMonetary units to be spend for the patient’s treatmentLowMediumHigh