title: Choice of recall period for patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures: criteria for consideration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Understand the choice of recall period for PRO measures based on intended use, characteristics of the disease, treatment, and attributes of studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Current practice and considerations were reviewed within several disease areas (overactive bladder, menopausal hot flashes, niacin-induced flushing, osteoarthritis pain, irritable bowel symptoms, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and alopecia).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rationales were identified for using different recall periods, including event-driven (immediate), daily, up to weekly, and longer than weekly. This work demonstrates that (1) recall depends on what the PRO measure captures, its intended use, and attributes of the disease and study; (2) within the same disease area, recall can vary depending on the concept or phenomenon of interest; (3) recall must consider patient burden and their ability to easily and accurately recall the information requested; and (4) recall must be consistent with the duration of the trial and the scheduled clinic visits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Shorter recall periods may underestimate symptom burden when symptoms have diurnal or day-to-day fluctuation and may place undue burden on patients. On the other hand, recall intervals that are too long may either over- or underestimate the health state. Therefore, appropriate criteria should be considered given attributes of the disease when selecting an adequate recall period.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Merck Research Laboratories, UG1D-60, P.O. Box 1000, North Wales, PA 19454, USA. josephine_norquist@merck.com
authors: Josephine M
authors: JM
authors: Norquist
authors: Cynthia
authors: C
authors: Girman
authors: Sheri
authors: S
authors: Fehnel
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: DeMuro-Mercon
authors: Nancy
authors: N
authors: Santanello
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010146:Pain; D013997:Time Factors