ArticleTrials2016
The use of qualitative methods to inform Delphi surveys in core outcome set development.
Article in Trials, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 99 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
99 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- A systematic review of outcomes measured in interventional trials in people with diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy.Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association · 2025Pooled it
- A systematic review of outcomes reported in studies to optimise the medication use of patients at hospital discharge.BMC health services research · 2025Pooled it
- Incorporating patient perspectives in the development of a core outcome set for reproductive genetic carrier screening: a sequential systematic review.European journal of human genetics : EJHG · 2022Pooled it
- Incorporating patients' perspectives into the initial stages of core outcome set development: a rapid review of qualitative studies of type 2 diabetes.BMJ open diabetes research & care · 2019Pooled it
- NETSArchives of disease in childhood · 2017Pooled it
- International patient and physician consensus on a psoriatic arthritis core outcome set for clinical trials.Annals of the rheumatic diseases · 2017Pooled it
- Patient outcomes after critical illness: a systematic review of qualitative studies following hospital discharge.Critical care (London, England) · 2016Pooled it
- Perspectives of paediatricians on collecting children's and caregivers' preferences for outcomes relevant to patients: a qualitative interview study in China.BMJ paediatrics open · 2026Article
- Outcomes That Matter in Gastrointestinal Cancer Care: A Focus Group Study of Patient-Centred Outcomes Identified by Patients and Care Partners.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026Article
- "Good health" and care needs in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis/progressive pulmonary fibrosis: the COCOS-IPF patient-led European focus groups.ERJ open research · 2026Article
- Article
- The Indigenous Health Research Priorities Study: family research priorities identified by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Queensland, Australia.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Synthesis and Standardization of Outcomes in Severe Malaria Treatment Trials: Protocol for the Development of a Core Outcome Set (the COSSMaT Study).JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Building the future of public health in Canada: A modified Delphi survey for updated core competencies.Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique · 2026Article
- Article
- Exploring Patient, Parent and Clinician Views of Outcomes for Family-Centered Care in Neonatal Settings: A Qualitative Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Identification of important outcomes for surgical and brace treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis : qualitative analysis of the perspectives of young people, parents, and healthcare professionals.Bone & joint open · 2026Article
- The spinner model for flourishing through movement: a conceptual framework for exploring the interplay between physical literacy, meaningful physical activity, embodiment, and human flourishing.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2026Article
- Establishing standards of care for forensic mental health: an international Delphi consensus-building study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Identifying and selecting outcome measures for the children and families domestic abuse core outcome set.Frontiers in sociology · 2026Article
39 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundCore outcome sets (COS) help to minimise bias in trials and facilitate evidence synthesis. Delphi surveys are increasingly being used as part of a wider process to reach consensus about what outcomes should be included in a COS. Qualitative research can be used to inform the development of Delphi surveys. This is an advance in the field of COS development and one which is potentially valuable; however, little guidance exists for COS developers on how best to use qualitative methods and what the challenges are. This paper aims to provide early guidance on the potential role and contribution of qualitative research in this area. We hope the ideas we present will be challenged, critiqued and built upon by others exploring the role of qualitative research in COS development. This paper draws upon the experiences of using qualitative methods in the pre-Delphi stage of the development of three different COS. Using these studies as examples, we identify some of the ways that qualitative research might contribute to COS development, the challenges in using such methods and areas where future research is required.
resultsQualitative research can help to identify what outcomes are important to stakeholders; facilitate understanding of why some outcomes may be more important than others, determine the scope of outcomes; identify appropriate language for use in the Delphi survey and inform comparisons between stakeholder data and other sources, such as systematic reviews. Developers need to consider a number of methodological points when using qualitative research: specifically, which stakeholders to involve, how to sample participants, which data collection methods are most appropriate, how to consider outcomes with stakeholders and how to analyse these data. A number of areas for future research are identified.
conclusionsQualitative research has the potential to increase the research community's confidence in COS, although this will be dependent upon using rigorous and appropriate methodology. We have begun to identify some issues for COS developers to consider in using qualitative methods to inform the development of Delphi surveys in this article.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.