JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Approximately 60% of US adults live with chronic disease, imposing a significant burden on patients and healthcare systems. With the rise of telehealth, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs) have emerged as pivotal tools for managing chronic disease. While numerous PROMs exist, few have been designed explicitly for telehealth settings. The Parsley Symptom Index (PSI) is an electronic PROM (ePROM) developed specifically for virtual telehealth environments.

Objective:

This study aimed to determine whether the PSI predicts changes in the established Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 10-Question Short Form (PROMIS-10 Global Health).

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from 367 unique patients, amassing 1,170 observations between August 30, 2017, and January 30, 2023. Patients completed the PSI and the PROMIS-10 multiple times throughout the study period. Using univariate regression models, we assess the predictive criterion validity of the PSI against PROMIS-10 scores.

Results:

Our study revealed significant relationships between the PSI and PROMIS-10 physical and mental health scores through comprehensive univariate analyses, thus establishing support for the criterion validity of the PSI. These analyses highlighted the PSI’s potential as an insightful tool in understanding and predicting both mental and physical health dimensions.

Conclusions:

Our findings emphasize the importance of the PSI in capturing the nuanced interactions between symptomatology and health outcomes. These insights reinforce the value of the PSI in clinical contexts and support its potential as a versatile tool in both research and practice.