Optimal outcome measures, research priorities, and international cooperation

The participants in the Eriksholm Workshop on 'Measuring Outcomes in Audiological Rehabilitation Using Hearing Aids' debated three issues that are reported in this article. First, it was agreed that the characteristics of an optimal outcome measure vary as a function of the purpose of the measurement. Potential characteristics of outcome self-report tools for four common goals of outcome measurement are briefly presented to illustrate this point. Second, 10 important research priorities in outcome measurement were identified and ranked. They are presented with brief discussion of the top five. Third, the concept of generating a brief universally applicable outcome measure was endorsed. This brief data set is intended to supplement nation and comparison across different social, cultural, and health-care delivery systems. A set of seven core items is proposed for further study.