Measuring patient outcomes: a primer.
When designing a study, it is important to select appropriate instruments to measure health outcomes. An investigator must have a comprehensive understanding of the disease and its effects on patient health to inform instrument selection. We provide a brief introduction of different ways that health is defined and the properties of a good measurement tool (reliability, validity, sensitivity to change). We describe patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and methods to improve their interpretability, and we include strategies to reduce bias in health measurement and considerations that may improve the feasibility of measuring outcomes in a research study.
Faculties of Health Sciences and Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1201 Western Road, Elborn College, Rm 1438, London, ON, N6G 1H1 Canada. dianne.bryant@uwo.ca
Dianne
D
Bryant
Natasha
N
Fernandes
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*