Issues affecting the selection of participation measurement in outcomes research and clinical trials

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Article provides an overview of conceptual and methodological issues affecting participation measurement and offer guidance to researchers wishing to incorporate participation measures in their work. Examples of the development and use of participation measures are presented to: (1) outline the types and characteristics of participation measures, (2) enumerate various uses of participation measures in disability and rehabilitation research, (3) discuss appropriate matching of the type of participation measure with the research task, and (4) offer recommendations for future participation research. Participation measures are used in individual and population assessments, observational research, and interventional research. Selection of a participation measure for use in a specific study requires an understanding of the characteristics of available tools and the nature of the research design, but most importantly, it requires matching the instrument to the specific research question or hypothesis. Instruments assessing participation are currently appropriate as secondary outcomes in trials evaluating interventions targeting activity limitation, and they will become appropriate as primary outcomes when interventions are tested that target participation directly.

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