Outcome Measures for Clinical Rehabilitation Trials: Impairment, Function, Quality of Life, or Value?
Abstract
Choosing outcome measures in rehabilitation research depends on the standard research skills of clear thinking, attention to detail, and minimizing the amount of data collected. In rehabilitation, outcome is more difficult to measure because (1) usually several outcomes are relevant, (2) relevant outcomes are affected by multiple factors in addition to treatment, and (3) even good measures rarely reflect the specific interest of any individual patient or member of the rehabilitation team, leading to some dissent. Measurement of general quality of life is not possible because there is little agreement as to the nature of the construct; moreover, measurement of relevant aspects of quality of life would probably give similar results. Cost in terms of resources can be estimated, but there is no validated or even widely accepted method of relating this to benefit in a fair, open, and rational way. Outcome is best measured at the level of behavior (activities), with other measures being used to aid interpretation.
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Clinical trial design parameters strongly influence data outcome, interpretation, and conclusions.
“It is very important to emphasize that clinical trial design parameters strongly influence data outcome, interpretation, and conclusions [267, 268].”
From Inorganic nitrite therapy: historical perspective and future directions (2011) · cites this paper as [268]
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- Authors
- Wade, D. T.
- Affiliations
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Wade, Derick T.
- ORCID
- Wade, Derick T.
- Venue
- American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
- Published
- 2003-10
- Volume
- 82
- Issue
- Supplement
- Pages
- S26-S31
- ISSN
- 0894-9115 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2023922773
- Cited by
- 80
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 12.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Medical Practices and Rehabilitation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
- Keywords
- outcome measures, rehabilitation research, clinical trials, quality of life, cost-benefit analysis, patient-centered outcomes
- MeSH terms
- Clinical Trials as Topic, Disability Evaluation, Humans, Quality of Life, Rehabilitation, Research Design, Social Values, Treatment Outcome, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Cost of Illness, Recovery of Function, Research Subjects
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