Aspects of Patient Experience Associated With Improved Scoliosis Research Society-22 Revised (SRS-22R) and European Quality of Life Five-Dimension Five-Level (EQ-5D-5L) Scores in Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Managed With Observation or Bracing.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) managed nonsurgically with bracing or observation.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

PREMs and PROMs are increasingly used to assess the effectiveness of patient-centered health care provision. To date, no study has attempted to study the relationship between PREMs and PROMs in AIS.

METHODS

All patients who visited our one-stop, tertiary center for AIS between 2020 and 2021, were asked to complete pairs of PREMs and PROMs questionnaires. PREMs were evaluated using our institution's outpatient experience survey adapted from Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. PROMs were determined via the Scoliosis Research Society-22 revised (SRS-22r) and European Quality of Life Five-Dimension Five-Level (EQ-5D-5L) forms.

RESULTS

In total, we included 730 patients who completed pairs of PREMs and PROMs questionnaires. 451 patients were treated by observation and 279 were braced. In the observation group, there was no association between patient experience and SRS-22r or EQ-5D-5L scores. In the brace group, improved SRS-22r were associated with higher PREM scores. In particular, having confidence and trust in treating physicians ( r =0.34), reporting that their worries and concerns were addressed during treatment ( r =0.34) and being taught self-care ( r =0.33, P <0.0001 for all) were most highly correlated with better SRS-22r scores.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with AIS treated with bracing, improved patient experience was positively correlated with better patient reported outcomes, especially if patients' concerns were addressed during treatment and they received supportive care and education on self-care. In contrast, patient experience did not correlate with PROMs in children and adolescents with AIS who were under observation.