Prioritizing outcome measures after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: A q-sort survey of patients, health care providers and researchers

OBJECTIVE: To understand which outcome measures patients and their families, health care providers, and researchers prioritize after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional q-sort survey with participants from three key stakeholder groups. Potential outcomes were identified from interviews and focus groups. Participants were purposively sampled to achieve diversity based on stakeholder group, geography, and profession. Respondents sorted 27 outcomes in a quasi-normally distributed grid (Q-Sort) from most to least important. Principal components analysis was used to determine similarities in the way participants sorted the outcome measures resulting in distinct groupings. Overall rankings were also reported. RESULTS: 112 participants were invited. 70 responded and 64 participants from 25 different countries completed a Q-sort. Balanced stakeholder representation was achieved. Five distinct patterns were identified based on survival, pathophysiological, psychological, resource use, and functional outcome measures. Quality of life as reported by the patient was the highest ranked outcome measure followed by independence and functional measures. Survival and biomedical outcomes were ranked in the middle and cost measures last. CONCLUSIONS: In this diverse sample of key stakeholders, we characterized several distinct perspectives with respect to outcome measure selection in aSAH. We did not identify a clear pattern of opinion based on stakeholder group or other participant characteristics. Patient-reported measure of quality of life was ranked the most important overall with function and independence also highly rated. These results will assist study design and inform efforts to improve outcome selection in aSAH research.