Development of the CHILD-SHOE Reporting Checklist: A Scoping Review and Modified Delphi Study to Support Reporting in Children's Footwear Research

Abstract

BackgroundInconsistent reporting of interventions and outcomes is a key barrier to research translation. Children's footwear research is often inconsistently reported as there are no standards or recommendations on what to report or consensus on which outcomes are important. The primary aim of this research was to develop expert consensus in children's footwear features and descriptions for research reporting. The secondary aim focused on consensus building of outcome measures relating to footwear in research in children. The outcome of this study was to develop a reporting checklist and guidance for researchers who are conducting children's footwear studies.MethodsThis was a three-round modified Delphi survey informed by a scoping review. We searched four databases to enable data extraction from 109 records related to children's footwear research. These data established the basis for Round 1. Authors were identified through the scoping review and invited to participate. In Round 1, participants rated the appropriateness of domains relating to reporting footwear descriptions and features and outcomes. Outcome measures were organised against a childhood adaptation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)-F-words in childhood disability domains. Consensus and agreement levels were set at 70%. Where 50%-69% of participants agreed, the item was returned for rating in Rounds 2 and 3.ResultsThere were 33 participants who responded to Round 1 and 29 (88%) in both subsequent rounds. Participants agreed on 20 statements that researchers should use to describe children's footwear and their features. All ICF domains met consensus for outcome collection. There were 17 outcome measures that participants agreed should be used in the future when a researcher's aim aligns with specific domains. Where no specific outcome measures reached consensus or agreement within a domain, a statement was developed to guide researcher choice in the subsequently developed checklist.ConclusionParticipants reached consensus on the essential footwear characteristics and descriptions that should be consistently reported in children's footwear research. This enabled us to produce a list of preferred outcome measures. Using this checklist can support future research through collection and reporting of comparable data.