Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEx) Blog
Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEx) Blog
Posted by jchoules
1 November 2017The 24th annual ISOQOL conference held in Philadelphia, USA, showcased exciting worldwide research through a mixture of symposiums, research talks, posters, special interest group (SIG) meetings and discussions/debates on patient-reported outcomes. This included psychometric validation of measures, operationalisation challenges and successes within clinical settings, advances in PRO data collection using modern technology and much more.
Professor Claire Snyder handing Presidential gavel over to Professor Jose M Valderas
There were plenty of opportunities to connect with and build on existing networks through the various SIG groups, providing attendees with updates on current and interesting future projects. This conference also saw the presidential gavel passed onto Professor Valderas from the University of Exeter Medical School’s Health Services and Policy Research Group, assuring ISOQOL members of a continued strategic leadership and ensuring the continued growth as a society.
Some of the conference highlights included plenary talks on the use of Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) in multimorbidity, cutting edge research examining innovative ways to research Quality of Life (QOL), ending with a thought-provoking discussion of two influential papers in the QOL literature and contemporary issues for researchers to consider.
Talks covered a variety of issues including analytical methods through IRT models of measurement and looking at minimal important change. There was a ‘tricks of the trade’ presentation looking at researcher’ experiences in disseminating their work.
Symposiums included qualitative methods in exploring Minimally Clinically Important Difference (MCID), integrating PRO data collection in patient records, and cognitive appraisal assessments in QOL research. Innovative techniques were being used across the globe for the collection of PRO data, utilising online technology-breaking IT systems barriers @KLIKproject, allowing more flexibility for hospitals with different IT systems to collect their own data. ISOQOL attendees have taken a forward thinking approach to their research which will bring interesting results to next year’s conference in Dublin (24-27 October 2018).
Antoinette Davey, October 2017
PhD student, HSPRG, UEMS