Understanding the experience and impact of living with a vascular condition from the patients perspective: a qualitative evidence synthesis protocol

Background: Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide a way of measuring outcomes elicited directly from the patient. It is important that PROMs cover the domains that are important to patients. This can be achieved by conducting qualitative research studies looking at patient experiences. Objectives: The aim of this qualitative evidence synthesis will be to examine the symptoms and quality of life domains that are important from the perspective of the patient with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), carotid artery disease (CAD), varicose veins (VV) and venous leg ulcers (VLU). Methods: Searches will be conducted in CINAHL via EBSCO, MEDLINE and MEDLINE in Process via Ovid, EMBASE via Ovid, PsycINFO via Ovid, Social Science Citation Index/Science Citation Index via Web of Science (Thomson Reuters) and Proquest dissertations and theses to identify primary qualitative studies reporting on patients’ health or QoL for the 5 vascular conditions. The methods of each study will be assessed for quality using the CASP criteria, 10 questions to help you make sense of qualitative research. Data will be extracted and synthesised using a framework analysis in Nvivo. Discussion: This qualitative evidence synthesis will identify studies that are qualitatively exploring health and QoL life outcomes for people with one of the 5 conditions to inform the selection of patient reported outcome measures and identify targets for future research. This review forms part of a larger project concerned with selecting PROMs for use in vascular services.