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

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. To provide a scoping review of measured PROs in studies describing PPT interventions. Additionally, to provide an overview of used PROMs in PPT. 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. 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. 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.