This book addresses the major methodological issues related to choosing, administering, and using patient-reported outcomes (PROs), particularly in clinical practice settings.
PROs are measures of how patients feel or what they are able to do as they are dealing with chronic diseases or conditions. Based on questionnaires completed by patients without any modification of responses by clinicians or others, PROs reflect the patient's point of view. They provide information on a patient's health conditions, health behaviors, or experiences with health care. PROs cover domains such as physical health, mental and emotional health, functioning, symptoms and symptom burden, and health behaviors.
Basing their advice on both classic and modern test theory, the authors describe best practices in using PROs in performance measures while accommodating patients with diverse linguistic, cultural, educational, and functional skills. They examine complex issues relating to scoring and analyzing PRO data, but they do so in straightforward way, often using nontechnical language with clear examples.
Their discussion and recommendations are easy to understand for both audiences experienced in PRO measurement and those new to the field.
David Cella, PhD, is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He is the principal investigator of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Initiative "HealthMeasures: A Person-Centered Assessment System," which curates and distributes PROMIS (the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) and three other health measurement systems. Dr. Cella is also a founding member and officer of the PROMIS Health Organization, a charitable organization that licenses and promotes the use of PROMIS worldwide.
Elizabeth A. Hahn, MA, is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Medical Social Sciences and Preventive Medicine, and the Institute for Public Health and Medicine, at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her research primarily involves patient-reported outcomes in chronic illnesses, with a focus on underserved populations and health disparities.
Sally E. Jensen, PhD, is a Research Assistant Professor in the Departments of Medical Social Sciences and Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her research focuses on patient-reported outcomes across various medical and surgical patient populations.
Zeeshan Butt, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Medical Social Sciences, Surgery, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He also serves as the Associate Director of the Center for Patient-Centered Outcomes there.
Cindy J. Nowinski, MD, PhD, is a Research Associate Professor in the Departments of Medical Social Sciences and Neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her research focuses on the development of patient-reported and objective health outcome measures for use in clinical and epidemiological research and clinical care.
Nan Rothrock, PhD, is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her research focuses on development and application of patient-reported outcome measures in research and practice.
Kathleen N. Lohr, PhD, is a Distinguished Fellow at RTI International. Her research has involved comparative effectiveness and evidence-based practice, measurement of health status and quality of life, quality of care assessment, clinical practice guidelines, and related health policy issues.
