Estimating minimally important difference (MID) in PROMIS pediatric measures using the scale-judgment method

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: David Thissen, University of North Carolina; Yang Liu, University of North Carolina; Brooke Magnus, University of North Carolina; Hally Quinn, University of North Carolina; Debbie S. Gipson, University of Michigan; Carlton Dampier, Emory University; I-Chan Huang, University of Florida; Pamela S. Hinds, Childrens Natl Hlth Syst; David T. Selewski, University of Michigan; Bryce B. Reeve, University of North Carolina; Heather E. Gross, University of North Carolina; Darren A. DeWalt, University of North Carolina
• Language: English
• Date: 2016-01-01
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2015, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11136-015-1058-8
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Quality of Life Research
• Volume: 25
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 13
• End Page: 23
• Grant/Funding Information: PROMIS® was funded with cooperative agreements from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
• Keywords: QUESTIONNAIRE; Minimally important difference; Self-report; Pediatrics; HEALTH-STATUS; PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES; Health Policy & Services; DEVELOPMENT DELPHI EXERCISE; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; DELTA; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Item response theory; CLINICALLY IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES; PROMIS; ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUG TRIALS; Health Care Sciences & Services; Patient-reported outcomes; RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS; SCORES; Science & Technology; QUALITY-OF-LIFE
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, Health Care Management

Abstract

Objective: To assess minimally important differences (MIDs) for several pediatric self-report item banks from the National Institutes of Health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®). Methods: We presented vignettes comprising sets of two completed PROMIS questionnaires and asked judges to declare whether the individual completing those questionnaires had an important change or not. We enrolled judges (including adolescents, parents, and clinicians) who responded to 24 vignettes (six for each domain of depression, pain interference, fatigue, and mobility). We used item response theory to model responses to the vignettes across different judges and estimated MID as the point at which 50 % of the judges would declare an important change. Results: We enrolled 246 judges (78 adolescents, 85 parents, and 83 clinicians). The MID estimated with clinician data was about 2 points on the PROMIS T-score scale, and the MID estimated with adolescent and parent data was about 3 points on that same scale. Conclusions: The MIDs enhance the value of PROMIS pediatric measures in clinical research studies to identify meaningful changes in health status over time.