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. 2021 Aug 27;11(9):850. doi: 10.3390/jpm11090850

Table 1.

Main characteristics of patient-reported outcomes (PROs outlined by Cella et al.) [5].

PRO Category Main
Characteristics
Main Strengths Main
Limitations
Health-related quality of life (HRQL) - Is multidimensional
- Can be generic or condition-specific
- Yields a global summary of well-being - May not be considered a sufficiently specific construct
Functional
status
- Reflects ability to perform specific
activities
- Can be used in addition to performance-based measures of function - May reflect variations in self-reported capability and actual performance of activities
Symptoms and symptom
burden
- Are specific to type of symptom of
interest
- May identify symptoms not otherwise captured by medical workup
- Are best assessed through self-report - May fail to capture general, global aspects of well-being considered important to
patients
Health
behaviors
- Are specific to type of behavior
- Typically measure frequency of
behavior
- Target specific behavior categories - Validity may be
affected by social
desirability
- May produce potential patient discomfort in reporting socially
undesirable behaviors
Patient
Experience
- Concerns satisfaction with health care delivery, treatment recommendations, and medications (or other therapies)
- Reflects actual experiences with health care services- Fosters patient
activation
- Is an essential component of patient-centered care
- Is valued by patients, families, and
policymakers
- Relates to treatment
adherence
- Relates to health behaviors and health outcomes
- May be a complex, multidimensional
construct
- Requires confidentiality to ensure patient comfort in disclosing negative experiences
- Does not provide sufficient evidence that activation enhances health care decision making