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Traditional Outcome Measures

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Clinical Research Methods for Surgeons

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Abstract

A Dictionary of Epidemiology by John M. Last defines outcomes research as “ research on outcomes of interventions.” Outcomes research defined in this manner comprises much of the effort of clinical epidemiologists. However, the Institute of Medicine elaborates on this definition of outcomes research to include the “ inquiry, both basic and applied, that examines the use, costs, quality, accessibility, delivery, organization, financing, and outcomes of health care services to increase the knowledge and understanding” of the structure, processes, and effects of health services for individuals and populations (1). As this description entails, the field of outcomes research has certainly extended beyond clinical epidemiologists and it has become increasingly important to define, examine, and evaluate the definition, use, and value of outcome measurements for all of those who participate in this type of research. In particular, surgical disciplines have long been interested in the outcomes of treatment to determine whether that treatment was, in fact, effective. The most commonly used types of outcomes in the surgical discipline are those that measure the disease process: mortality and morbidity. This is primarily a function of the notion that surgery is often directed toward ameliorating abnormalities of structure or function (2). In this chapter, we discuss the traditional measures of outcomes such as mortality and morbidity as end points, specific types of these indicators, sources of these types of information, and the strengths and limitations associated with using them.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Urology and Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

    Aruna V. Sarma PhD, MHA (Assistant Research Professor)

  2. Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI

    Julie C. McLaughlin MPH, MS (Research Associate)

Authors
  1. Aruna V. Sarma PhD, MHA
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  2. Julie C. McLaughlin MPH, MS
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Urology and Preventive Medicine Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

    David F. Penson MD, MPH

  2. Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI

    John T. Wei MD, MS

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© 2006 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Sarma, A.V., McLaughlin, J.C. (2006). Traditional Outcome Measures. In: Penson, D.F., Wei, J.T. (eds) Clinical Research Methods for Surgeons. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-230-4_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-230-4_12

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-326-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-230-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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