title: Advancing Symptom Science Through Use of Common Data Elements.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Use of common data elements (CDEs), conceptually defined as variables that are operationalized and measured in identical ways across studies, enables comparison of data across studies in ways that would otherwise be impossible. Although healthcare researchers are increasingly using CDEs, there has been little systematic use of CDEs for symptom science. CDEs are especially important in symptom science because people experience common symptoms across a broad range of health and developmental states, and symptom management interventions may have common outcomes across populations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purposes of this article are to (a) recommend best practices for the use of CDEs for symptom science within and across centers; (b) evaluate the benefits and challenges associated with the use of CDEs for symptom science; (c) propose CDEs to be used in symptom science to serve as the basis for this emerging science; and (d) suggest implications and recommendations for future research and dissemination of CDEs for symptom science.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)-supported P20 and P30 Center directors applied published best practices, expert advice, and the literature to identify CDEs to be used across the centers to measure pain, sleep, fatigue, and affective and cognitive symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We generated a minimum set of CDEs to measure symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CDEs identified through this process will be used across the NINR Centers and will facilitate comparison of symptoms across studies. We expect that additional symptom CDEs will be added and the list will be refined in future work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptoms are an important focus of nursing care. Use of CDEs will facilitate research that will lead to better ways to assist people to manage their symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Beatrice Renfield Term Professor of Nursing, Yale School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Redeker
authors.affiliation: Professor and Associate Dean for Research, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: The Alumni Professor of Nursing and Professor of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bakken
authors.affiliation: Associate Dean for Research and Professor, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Corwin
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Sharron
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Docherty
authors.affiliation: Professor and Chair, Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Susan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Dorsey
authors.affiliation: Professor and Department Chairperson, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heitkemper
authors.affiliation: Lead Program Director, National Institute of Nursing Research, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Donna Jo
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: McCloskey
authors.affiliation: Edward J. and Louise Mellen Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean for Research, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NB, USA.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pullen
authors.affiliation: Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rapkin
authors.affiliation: Professor and Associate Dean for Research, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schiffman
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Drenna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Waldrop-Valverde
authors.affiliation: Director, National Institute of Nursing Research, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grady
mesh_terms: D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D065709:Common Data Elements; D019468:Disease Management; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000379:methods*; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis
keywords: Cognition; fatigue; mood; pain; sleep disturbance; symptom management