A closer look at the BREAST-Q(©)

Area of Science:

• * Medical Outcomes Research
• * Surgical Oncology
• * Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• * Patient-reported outcome instruments (PROs) are crucial for evaluating healthcare interventions.
• * Existing PROs may not adequately capture the multifaceted impact of breast surgery.
• * A validated instrument is needed to measure quality of life and satisfaction from the patient's perspective.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To detail the development and characteristics of the BREAST-Q(©) instrument.
• * To highlight the BREAST-Q(©) as a comprehensive tool for assessing breast surgery outcomes.
• * To present a novel approach for developing future patient-reported outcome instruments.

Main Methods:

• * Development of a multiscale, multimodule patient-reported outcome instrument.
• * Rigorous validation process to ensure reliability and validity.
• * Focus on patient-centered data collection for breast surgery.

Main Results:

• * The BREAST-Q(©) effectively measures health-related quality of life and patient satisfaction.
• * Demonstrates a significant advancement in capturing the patient's perspective on breast surgery.
• * Provides a robust framework for evaluating surgical effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• * The BREAST-Q(©) is a valuable and validated tool for assessing outcomes in breast surgery.
• * It empowers patients by incorporating their experiences into outcome evaluation.
• * The methodology used for BREAST-Q(©) development can serve as a template for future PRO instruments.