Assessing Rehabilitation Outcomes After Severe Neuromusculoskeletal Injury: Development of Patient Reported Outcomes Assessment Instruments

Currently, there is a paucity of patient reported outcomes (PRO) measures of secondary health effects and complications that result from neuromusculoskeletal injuries, which greatly limits the clinical care and successful rehabilitation, reintegration, and return to duty/work of injured individuals. This study will create valid, standardized, psychometrically robust, and clinically useful PRO measures for traits and symptoms relevant to understanding quality of life and the health and rehabilitation outcomes of Wounded Warriors and civilians with neuromusculoskeletal trauma. Furthermore, this study will develop clinical score reports in an actionable format to improve the clinical workflow and standard of care for individuals with traumatic limb injuries. During year six, we began long-term (2-3 year) field testing. All other phases of field testing are complete (baseline, 1-year, 1-week retest). In year six, we finished data analyses for item calibrations and 10 scales were finalized, with short form and computer adaptive test programming completed as well. We requested and received a no-cost extension for year seven. In total, 589 participants completed baseline, 203 completed 1-year follow-ups, 160 completed 1-week retest, and 271 have completed long-term follow-ups. Despite challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic on recruitment, we have been able to makeup time by adding recruiting sites and we are now poised to complete all study activities during year seven.