AUTHOR=Shou Fangfang , Wang Jing , Laureys Steven , Cheng Lijuan , Huang Wangshan , Di Haibo 

TITLE=Study protocol: Developing telephone follow-up scale for patients with disorders of consciousness

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1071008

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1071008

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Background:  The significant lack of rehabilitation prognostic data is the main reason that affects the treatment decision-making and ethical issues of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC).  Currently, the clinic's consciousness assessment tools cannot satisfy DoC patients' follow-up needs.
Objective: The purpose of this study is to construct a sensitive, professional, and simple telephone follow-up scale for DoC patients to follow up on the prognosis, especially the recovery of consciousness, of prolonged DoC patients transferred to community hospitals or at home. 
Methods: This study is to adopt expert consultation to construct and to verify the validity and feasibility of the scale on-site. 
Conclusion: At present, there is a strong demand for portable, accurate, and easily operated scales. It is helpful to improve the rehabilitation data of prolonged DoC patients and provide more basis for their treatment and rehabilitation.