'But is the difference clinically significant?'.

Area of Science:

• Medical Research Methodology
• Clinical Significance Evaluation
• Patient-Centered Outcomes

Background:

• Statistical significance in research is often questioned for its clinical relevance.
• Defining clinical significance is challenging due to diverse stakeholder priorities (patients, payers, clinicians).

Discussion:

• The concept of 'clinical significance' lacks a universal definition.
• Stakeholder perspectives on significance differ: patients value comfort, payers value cost-effectiveness, clinicians value functional changes.
• Funding bodies' use of this question may unfairly impact rehabilitation research.

Key Insights:

• Clinical significance is subjective and context-dependent.
• A singular definition of clinical significance is unattainable.
• Patient values are paramount in assessing true clinical significance.

Outlook:

• Future research should focus on patient-reported outcome measures.
• Emphasize patient-reported significance to guide clinical practice and research.
• Develop frameworks for incorporating diverse patient values into significance assessments.