Reasons for preference ranking
Participants were asked for their reasons behind their ranking. Participants were still blinded to drug allocations when assigning their first ranking, so reasons were provided relating to the order they were given (i.e. their first, second or third drug). Two researchers (BS and CA) independently coded the free text responses, without information on the final drug allocations, only which of the first, second or third drugs was the preferred. Free text was coded as either: 1) “feeling better” if they stated their preferred drug was chosen for having a positive effect on their health/wellbeing; 2) “lack of side effects” if the main reason for their preference was due to the preferred drug not having side effects that the other drugs did; or 3) unclassifiable. The two sets of codes were then compared, and discrepancies resolved through discussion with a third researcher (MS).