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Table 3 Summary of the measures used by included studies, methods of analysis and results of comparisons

From: Are there valid proxy measures of clinical behaviour? a systematic review

Study

Proxy measure

Direct Measure (DM)

Analysis

 

Description

1. Method

V = Clinical vignette (No. of case simulations)

CI/Q = Clinician interview/questionnaire

MR = Medical Record review

PI/Q = Patient interview/questionnaire

2. Timing

Clinician self report (SR)

Medical Record Review (MR)

Patient report (PR)

Description

1. Method

SP = Simulated Patients

DO = Direct Observation

VR = Video recording

AR = Audio recording

2. Timing

SP Training reported

Psychometrics (IRR)

Compared Item by Item

Compared Summary Scores

Agreement between measures:

Co-efficient r; kappa (k); Structural equation modelling (SEM); Sensitivity (Sens) & Specificity (Spec)

Difference between mean scores:

ANOVA; T-test

P

Stange[5]

1998

1. MR; PQ

2. At end of consultation

 

√

√

DO

 

0.39 to 1.00 (kappa)

√

 

MR

Sens = 8% (diet advice) – 92% (Lab tests)

Spec = 83% (social history) – 100% (counselling services, physical exam, lab tests)

k = 0.12 to 0.92 (79 comparisons)

PR

Sens = 17% (mammogram) – 89% (Pap test)

Spec = 85% (in-office referral) – 99% (immunisation, physical exam, lab tests)

k = 0.03 to 0.86 (53 comparisons)

NR

Flocke[6]

2004

1. PQ

2. At end of consultation (24%) or postal return (76%)

  

√

DO

 

NR

√

 

Sens* = 11% (substance use) – 76% (smoking cessation)

NA

Wilson[7]

1994

1. MR; PQ

2. At end of consultation

 

√

√

AR

 

0.79 to 1.00

√

 

MR

Sens = 31%, Spec* = 99%

28.6 (Alcohol)

Sens = 29%, Spec* = 100%

83.3 (BP)

Sens = 83%, Spec* = 93%

% agreement between DM & MR:

45.5 (Smoking)

PR

Sens = 74%, Spec* = 94%

75.0 (Alcohol)

Sens = 75%, Spec* = 94%

100 (BP)

Sens = 100%, Spec* = 90%

% agreement between DM & PR:

81.8 (Smoking)

NA

Ward[8]

1996

1. PQ

2. Questionnaire mailed to patient within 2 days of consultation

  

√

AR

 

0.74 to 0.94 (kappa)

√

 

Sens = 93% (smoking status)

Spec = 79%

Sens = 92% (cessation advice)

Spec = 82%

NA

Zuckerman[9]

1975

1. MR

2. At end of consultation

 

√

 

AR

 

NR

√

 

Sens* = 0% (side effects) – 100% (Diagnosis)

Spec* = 9% (Diagnosis) – 100% (side effects)

NA

Luck[10]

2000

1. MR

2. At end of consultation

 

√

 

SP (27) each role-playing 1 of 8 case simulations

√

NR

√

√

ANOVA (4-way)

Necessary care:

Sens = 70%, Spec = 81%

Unnecessary care:

Sens = 65%' Spec = 64%.

<0.0001

NA

Page[11]

1980

1. V (4)

2. Upto 6 weeks before or 3 weeks after SP visit

√

  

SP (4) each role-playing 1 case simulation

√

0.76

√

√

r = .56 & .68

r = .26 & .37

"Must do" actions

Sens* = 97%, Spec* = 33%

"Must not do" actions

Sens* = 30%, Spec* = 98%

>0.05

<0.05

Gerbert[12]

1988

1. CI; MR; PI

2. At end of consultation

√

√

√

√R

 

NR

√

 

k = 0.67 (SR)

k = 0.54 (MR)

k = 0.50 (PR)

<0.001

<0.001

<0.001

Pbert[13]

1999

1. CI; PI

2. At end of consultation

√

 

√

AR.

 

NR

√

√

r = 0.77 (SR)

r = 0.67 (PR)

<0.0001

<0.0001

Gerbert[14]

1986

1. CI; MR; PI

2. At end of consultation

√

√

√

√R

 

0.52 to 0.93 (kappa)

√

 

Median % agreement (All categories):

0.84 (SR)

0.88 (MR)

0.86 (PR)

NA

Dresselhaus[15]

2000

1.V (8); MR

2. NR

√

√

 

SP (4) each role-playing a simple and complex case presentation

√

NA

√

 

ANOVA (3-way)

<0.01

Rethans[16]

1987

1. V (1).

2. Completed 2 months after SP visit

√

  

SP (3) each role-playing same case simulation

√

0.78 to 1.0 (kappa)

√

√

T-test:

Overall

"Obligatory"

"Intermediate"

"Superfluous"

ns

<0.005

<0.05

<0.05

Rethans[17]

1994

1. MR

2. Charts reviewed two years after SP visit.

 

√

 

SP (4) each role-playing 1 of 4 case simulations

√

0.93 (kappa)

√

√

r = 0.54 (Overall)

r = 0.17 (History taking)

r = 0.45 (Physical exam)

r = 0.75 (Lab exam)

r = 0.50 (Advice)

r = 0.43 (Medication)

r = -0.04 (Follow-up)

<0.05)

ns

ns

<0.01

<0.05

ns

ns

Peabody[18]

2000

1. V (8); MR

2. Completed "several weeks" after SP visit

√

√

 

SP (4) each role-playing a simple and complex case presentation

√

NA

 

√

ANOVA (4-way)

<0.001

O'Boyle[19]

2001

1. % time practiced hand hygiene

2. Up to one month prior to observation period

√

  

DO

Nurses observed for 2 hours or until 10 indications for handwashing had occurred

 

0.94 to 0.98

 

√

r = 0.21

SEM = 0.201

<0.05

<0.05

  1. * Calculated by authors NA = Not applicable NR = Not reported ns = non-significant