Patient Reported Outcome (PROMs) and Experience Measures (PREMs) for Indigenous Peoples: A Literature Exploration

Abstract

Documenting Indigenous patient voices through safe and culturally appropriate patient-reported outcome (PROMs) and experience measures (PREMs) is essential for monitoring impacts of health care programming and policies. We explored the literature in order to understand the current landscape of PROMs and PREMs that have been developed for and with Indigenous Peoples in Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand. From our exploration a number of key themes regarding the development of PROMs and PREMs emerged including, applying a wholistic perspective, a relational framework with an emphasis on the role of the family, ensuring cultural fit (reflecting a resilience, strength-based and cultural approach to health), being sensitive to the ethics of survey tools, and ensuring decolonizing approaches in their development. In addition, the scarcity and the need for developing Indigenous-specific PREMs are highlighted.