Making results of patient-reported outcomes interpretable

Article type
Authors
Guyatt G1, Patrick D2
1McMaster University
2Seattle Quality of Life Group, Department of Health Services, University of Washington
Abstract
Objective: To introduce methods for making patient-reported outcomes readily understandable.
Description: Concepts that will be introduced include the minimal important difference (the smallest difference that would motivate a patient to use an intervention), the dichotomization of outcomes (e.g. proportion of patients who achieve a minimal important difference), and alternatives to the standardized mean difference as an approach to aggregating across different instruments measuring the same construct. During the workshop issues will arise for discussion in breakout groups (current plan, three times during the workshop). At the end of each of these breakout sessions (5 to 10 minutes) each group will report back with the group’s conclusions. In addition, participants will answer questions prepared to establish understanding of the material presented.