Validated patient reported outcome measures in speech-language pathology: A scoping review of adult practice

Danielle Gardner; Verity Mitchell; Thuy Frakking; Kelly Ann Weir; Angie Canning; Rachel Jane Wenke

doi:10.1080/17549507.2024.2399236

Validated patient reported outcome measures in speech-language pathology: A scoping review of adult practice

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2024 Oct 2:1-30. doi: 10.1080/17549507.2024.2399236. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Danielle Gardner¹, Verity Mitchell¹, Thuy Frakking^{1

2

3}, Kelly Ann Weir^{4

5}, Angie Canning^{1

6}, Rachel Jane Wenke^{6

7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Speech Pathology Service, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, Australia.
² Research Development Unit, Caboolture Hospital, Metro North Hospital & Health Service, Caboolture, Australia.
³ Faculty of Medicine, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Herston, Australia.
⁴ Melbourne School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
⁵ Allied Health, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
⁶ School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Southport, Australia.
⁷ Allied Health Research, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, Australia, and.
⁸ Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia.

PMID: 39356797
DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2024.2399236

Abstract

Purpose: Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used to inform value-based healthcare. Within speech-language pathology (SLP), there is no synthesis of validated PROMs to guide professional practice. This scoping review systematically identifies and evaluates condition-specific PROMs across adult SLP practice.

Method: A literature search was performed to identify studies published until 18th February 2022 from MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Scopus, Cochrane Collaboration, and Web of Science. Abstracts and full texts were screened in Covidence. Relevant studies that validated PROMs in English were extracted and assessed using the "Checklist to operationalise measurement characteristics of PROMs" by two independent reviewers.

Result: Ninety-seven articles provided validation data for 71 PROMS across seven SLP practice areas. These included voice (n = 18), swallowing (n = 14), language (n = 11), fluency (n = 8), speech (n = 4), laryngectomy (n = 3), and cognitive-communication (n = 2). No PROMs were identified for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) (n = 0). Quality ratings were variable on the Francis et al. checklist.

Conclusion: A range of validated PROMs were identified to guide SLP practice in measuring patient perceptions across a range of practice areas in adults. Opportunities for further development in SLP practice areas with limited PROMs, such as speech, cognitive-communication, and AAC are also highlighted.

Keywords: evidence-based practice (EBP); patient reported outcome measures (PROMs); quality of life (QoL); scoping review; speech-language pathology (SLP); validity.