Patient reported outcomes in pediatric physical therapy: a scoping review and evidence map

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) can be used as tools for understanding patients’ health perceptions. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the landscape of PROs and PROMs within PPT, along with identifying potentially valuable (generic) PROs for the specific context and population, provides a valuable foundation for developing recommendations on PROM use in PPT. Objectives: To provide a scoping review of measured PROs in studies describing PPT interventions. Additionally, to provide an overview of used PROMs in PPT. Methods: This review is conducted based on the PRISMA-ScR Checklist. A systematic search was conducted in Medline (2013–2023). Peer-reviewed studies for children aged 4–17 years with problems in physical functioning, were included when a described intervention was related to PPT or exercise therapy, and the studies reported PROs or used PROMs (proxy/self-reported). PROs were extracted verbatim, categorized and labelled based on the Alonso & Valderas model. A graphical overview was created to synthesize PROs measured per diagnosis. Results: 172 studies were included. We identified 168 measured PROs which could be categorized into 40 unique PROs, measured with 158 PROMs. Most measured PROs fell in the ‘Functional Status – Activities and Participation’ and ‘Symptom Status’ classification of the Alonso and Valderas model. Conclusion: An excessive number of PROs and PROMs is used in PPT, which complicates standardization and implementation of PROMs. Harmonization of PRO(M)s in PPT is needed to address this problem. Therefore, a generic core set of PROs and PROMs should be developed for daily practice and research within PPT.