Oldenburger E, Devlies J, Callens D, De Roo ML. Patient-reported outcomes versus proxy-reported outcomes in supportive and palliative care: a summary of recent literature.
Curr Opin Support Palliat Care 2023;
17:113-118. [PMID:
37039573 DOI:
10.1097/spc.0000000000000644]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW
Patient-reported outcomes are one of the most valuable clinical outcome measures. In palliative care, however, they are often difficult to retrieve. Therefore, proxy-reported outcomes are sometimes used as a surrogate. As there have been concerns about the validity of these by-proxy reports, the authors reviewed the most recent literature for the most recent insights in using proxy-reported outcomes.
RECENT FINDINGS
The authors found very little new research on patient versus proxy-reported outcomes in palliative care. The results of the studies the authors found seem to correlate with older evidence concluding that there are many factors influencing a discrepancy between patients' outcomes and how this is perceived by their proxies, such as the well-being paradox, caregiver burden, and the proxies' own mental well-being.
SUMMARY
While proxies' opinions and knowledge of the patients' values are important factors to consider, proxy-reported outcomes should be used with caution and viewed as a complementary perspective rather than a true substitute for the individual patient's outcome.
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