Project 460477

Questionnaires are often used to measure patients' views about their own health that can only be truly understood from their frame of reference. These questionnaires are often called "patient-reported outcome measures" or PROMs. PROMs include questions that measure what matters to individuals about their health, including their pain and emotional wellbeing. PROMs are intended to "give voice" to patients. However, most PROMs are designed to fit common views held by the majority of the population. Such a "one-size-fits-all" approach means that the perspectives of some people from diverse cultures, traditions, or life experiences are not considered in how we measure patient-reported outcomes. But healthcare that is equitable must be able to incorporate the diversity of all patients' experiences. Our research will tailor health measurements for people with different backgrounds and life experiences. Building on our past work, we will develop a cutting-edge online tool for tailored people-centred health measurement called a "mixture computerized adaptive test" or mixture-CAT. Mixture-CAT will improve health measurement by asking the "right questions of the right person." Thus, it offers the ability to "personalize" healthcare for each and every person. We will further develop and test a mixture-CAT to measure the impact of pain and emotional well-being on the daily lives of adults who are living at home with chronic illness. While working with a technology partner, we will collaborate and integrate the knowledge and experience of patients, healthcare providers and healthcare leaders about how to best use mixture-CAT in healthcare. Our work will inform future use of mixture-CAT with a wide range of health outcomes, beyond pain and emotional well-being, and with other populations. Our project will ensure that patients' diverse health experiences are described in a way that is truly equitable.