Patient-reported outcome measures for sleep disorders and related problems: clinical and research applications.

Patients with sleep disorders are most concerned with the impact of these diseases on their quality of life. Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measurement tools, which assess aspects of a patient's health status that come directly from the patient, are well suited to evaluate quality of life related to sleep disorders. Although PRO data are subjective, they can be quantified, evaluated for reliability and reproducibility, and used to answer questions of clinical and research importance. This article reviews various PRO measure tools used for sleep disorders in clinical and research settings. These instruments may play a role in screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of various sleep disorders.