Perceived Burden of Completion of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Clinical Trials:: Results of a Preliminary Study

Background: Understanding the perceived burden of clinical trial participation is an important element of patient-centric trial design and conduct. Methods: We report the results of a study to gain preliminary insights into the perceived burden associated with patient-reported outcome (PRO) data collection among a sample (n = 61) of volunteers from the general population including people with various health conditions resulting in chronic pain. Results: Participants identified morning completion as more burdensome than completion of PRO measures in the evening. Weekly completion was perceived as less burdensome than daily, and twice-a-day more burdensome than once-a-day. Conclusion: Our results, while not generalizable in isolation, provide a valuable starting point to understand the complex construct of subject burden. This preliminary work is intended to be a catalyst for more in-depth research to better understand and predict burden and acceptable burden thresholds in clinical trials. Understanding subject burden is a vital component of human subject research that will be valuable in helping to inform future clinical trial designs.