Patient-reported quality of life (QoL) measurements in adults with multiple long-term conditions: a scoping review protocol

Objective

This scoping review will systematically map the evidence on Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) used to assess quality of life (QoL) in adults with multiple long-term conditions (MLTC) across all healthcare and community settings.

Rationale

Research on patient-reported QoL in adults with MLTC is limited. Existing measures are mostly generic and may lack sensitivity to the complexity and heterogeneity of MLTC. This review will examine PROMs used in MLTC research, and identify gaps in QoL measurement.

Inclusion/Exclusion criteria

Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies, and pre-specified grey literature, reporting QoL tools for adults with any combination of physical and/or mental MLTC will be included. Single conditions, comorbidity, or non-adult populations will be excluded.

Methods

Following established scoping review guidelines, a systematic search strategy, developed with a librarian, will cover fivedatabases (e.g., MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, CINAHL), plus grey literature and citation tracking. English-language publications with no restrictions on geographic location or publication date will be considered. After de-duplication, two reviewers will independently screen citations based on predefined inclusion criteria. Discrepancies will be resolved with a third reviewer. A pre-specified data extraction form to capture qualitative and quantitative data will be pilot tested. An 11-member patient and public advisory group will be established and stakeholder consultation will be conducted. Findings will be summarised using tables, figures and narrative synthesis and disseminated widely for multiple audiences.

Discussion

This review will highlight QoL measurement gaps, inform future development of tailored QoL PROMs for MLTC populations, and contribute to national or global MLTC research priorities.