Sociodemographic Factors Are Associated with Patient-Reported Outcome Measure Completion in Orthopaedic Surgery
Authors: Bernstein David N. , Karhade Aditya V. , Bono Christopher M. , Schwab Joseph H. , Harris Mitchel B. , Tobert Daniel G. 
Published: August 2022

Update

This article was updated on November 10, 2023, because of a previous error. The authors of this study uncovered a documentation error in the data used for the analysis when conducting future research. While the statistical analyses are accurate, all included patients were –in fact –not just from “new patient encounters” but also from “follow-up visits.” In light of this finding, the title now reads “Sociodemographic Factors Are Associated with Patient-Reported Outcome Measure Completion in Orthopaedic Surgery: An Analysis of Completion Rates and Determinants”, and all references to “new patients” or “new patient encounters” have been removed from the text (including in the limitations paragraph).

An erratum has been published: JBJS Open Access. 2022;7(3):e22.00026ER.

Background:

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and, specifically, the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), are increasingly utilized for clinical research, clinical care, and health-care policy. However, completion of these outcome measures can be inconsistent and challenging. We hypothesized that sociodemographic variables are associated with the completion of PROM questionnaires. The purposes of the present study were to calculate the completion rate of assigned PROM forms and to identify sociodemographic and other variables associated with completion to help guide improved collection efforts.

Methods:

All orthopaedic patients at a single academic medical center were identified from 2016 to 2020. On the basis of subspecialty and presenting condition, patients were assigned certain PROMIS forms and legacy PROMs. Demographic and clinical information was abstracted from the electronic medical record. Bivariate analyses were performed to compare characteristics among those who completed assigned PROMs and those who did not. A multivariable logistic regression model was created to determine which variables were associated with successful completion of assigned PROMs.

Results:

Of the 219,891 patients, 88,052 (40%) completed all assigned PROMs. Patients who did not activate their internet-based patient portal had a 62% increased likelihood of not completing assigned PROMs (odds ratio [OR], 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58 to 1.66; p < 0.001). Non-English-speaking patients had a 90% (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.82 to 2.00; p < 0.001) increased likelihood of not completing assigned PROMs at presentation. Older patients (≥65 years of age) and patients of Black race had a 23% (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.27; p < 0.001) and 24% (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.30; p < 0.001) increased likelihood of not completing assigned PROMs, respectively.

Conclusions:

The rate of completion of PROMs varies according to sociodemographic variables. This variability could bias clinical outcomes research in orthopaedic surgery. The present study highlights the need to uniformly increase completion rates so that outcomes research incorporates truly representative cohorts of patients treated. Furthermore, the use of these PROMs to guide health-care policy decisions necessitates a representative patient distribution to avoid bias in the health-care system.

Level of Evidence:

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.