Designing a Novel Patient-reported Outcome Measure for Evaluating Foot and Ankle Disorders in the Indian Population: The IFAS Score Protocol

Study DesignThis study will be based on the modified Delphi method (Flowchart 1).8,9 The statements evaluated in this study will be based on a systematic review of the published literature. IntroductIonPatient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are widely used by foot and ankle surgeons and researchers globally to assess functional outcomes.PROMs are standardized, validated surveys that provide valuable information for measuring the impact of a disease on an individual's well-being. 1 These measures are also useful in monitoring treatment response and assessing the effectiveness of interventions in reducing morbidity.2 Clinical research heavily relies on PROMs to determine the effectiveness of a particular treatment, whether surgical or nonsurgical, in achieving clinical improvement.Several PROMs, such as the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS) score, 3 Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ) score, 4 Foot and Ankle Disability Index, 5 Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, 6 and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 7 scores, have been reported in the literature, but their validity and reliability may vary, and different centers and surgeons may prefer different scores.However, these PROMs have been developed and validated in English, which may not be suitable for all geographical populations.Translation into a patient's native language may result in misinterpretation and some questions may not be relevant to certain populations.Consequently, the Indian Foot and Ankle Society (IFAS) has decided to create a score specifically tailored for Indian and Southeast Asian populations, called the IFAS score.This protocol outlines the methodology for developing the IFAS score, which aims to address the limitations of existing PROMs and better serve the needs of the Indian and Southeast Asian populations.