MYMOP®

Yes, MYMOP^® scoring was validated against SF36 - a Health-Related Quality of Life measure which has been extensively researched and used in cancer care.   The validation showed that MYMOP^® scores were as responsive to change as the SF36 scores. Validation studies, especially those using qualitative methods, have also helped to define the strengths and weaknesses of MYMOP^®, which are useful when considering if it is an appropriate tool for the job.  Several published studies have shown that MYMOP^® is practical, reliable and sensitive to change. These studies have involved patients who have received treatment from both orthodox and complementary practitioners for a range of problems. In addition to the published studies, MYMOP^® has been used in a large number of smaller evaluation studies.

Main Symptoms

MYMOP^® captures the main symptoms that are causing a person the most distress, which may often relate to long-term pain, gynaecological issues, problems with hot flushes and menopause, sleep disturbance, low mood, gastrointestinal problems and so forth.  These symptoms can be categorised often using the International Classification for Primary Care 2 (ICPC-2).  This allows practitioners and health professionals to understand what symptoms people most frequently present with and where they may want support.

Daily living activity affected

Understanding how a specific activity is being affected by a person’s symptom allows a practitioner to focus treatment or support on improving a person’s situation, so that the daily living activity is more achievable.  These activities often mean a lot to people.

MYMOP scores 

The analysis of symptom and activity score changes ascertain if a person’s initial symptom or activity has improved at a follow-up appointment, compared to the initial scores at first consultation. Statistical analysis can be performed to understand when statistically significant and clinically meaningful changes are occurring. This quantitative data also enables benchmarking of services for audit purposes, when expanding services into new locations. All of this informs future pathways of care and efficient use of funding. Similar to the concerns scores, the wellbeing score change is also calculated, and statistical analysis performed to determine statistically significant and clinically meaningful changes.  The MYMOP profile score provides a mean score for each person:

Level of Medication usage

Understanding if a treatment or intervention has impacted on medication usage can be really useful data, so you can review any changes in medication usage.  In studies of Chinese Medicine and other therapies, MYMOP can often capture a reduction in medication usage, for example when using Chinese Medicine to support a person with musculoskeletal pain .

This question on the follow-up form enables practitioners and healthcare professionals to understand why a person values the service they have received.   Often people report that the reduction in symptoms and resultant effect on their daily living activity has been the most important thing. Other reasons people report include the compassion, empathy and supportive nature of the therapists, that they have been listened to and believed, that they can now engage more actively in their life. People also report that cutting down on their medications (and therefore sometimes having fewer side effects), has been very beneficial.  All of this data is valuable for organisations who want to understand the wider impact of their services.

No, you can’t; if you do, we do not recognise it as our tool, and it becomes invalidated.  There are specific instructions on how to administer it as it was intended by its originator.   If you are interested in developing MYMOP^® in some way, we welcome a chat about it.

Key MYMOP^® Publications to date:

Paterson C. Measuring outcome in primary care: a patient-generated measure, MYMOP^®, compared to the SF-36 health survey. British Medical Journal 1996;312:1016-20. 10.1136/bmj.312.7037.1016

Paterson C. Complementary practitioners as part of the primary health care team: consulting patterns, patient characteristics and patient outcomes. Family Practice 1997;14:347-54. 10.1093/fampra/14.5.347

Hill S, Eckett MJ, Paterson C, Harkness EF. A pilot study to evaluate the effects of floatation spa treatment on patients with osteoarthritis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 1999; 7:235-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0965-2299(99)80008-9

Paterson C, Britten N. In pursuit of patient-centred outcomes: a qualitative evaluation of MYMOP, Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile. J Health Serv Res Policy 2000;5:27-36. 10.1177/135581960000500108

Paterson C, Langan CE, Mckaig GA, Anderson PM, Maclaine GDH, Rose LH. Assessing patient outcomes in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis: the measure yourself medical outcome profile ( MYMOP), medical outcomes study 6-item general health survey ( MOS-6) and EuroQol ( EQ-5D). Quality of Life Research 2000;9:521-7. 10.1023/a:1008930521566

Ritchie J, Wilkinson J, Gantley M, Feder G, Carter Y, and Formby J. A model of integrated primary care: anthroposophical medicine. 2001. London, Department of General Practice and Primary Care, St Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London. Available.

Paterson C. The context, experience and outcome of acupuncture treatment: users' perspectives and outcome questionnaire performance. 2002. University of London. PhD thesis.

Peace G, Manasse A. The Cavendish Centre for integrated cancer care: assessment of patients' needs and responses. Complement Ther Med. 2002 Mar;10(1):33-41. https://doi.org/10.1054/ctim.2002.0500

Paterson C, Britten N. Acupuncture for people with chronic illness: combining qualitative and quantitative outcome assessment. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2003; 9:671-681 DOI: 10.1089/107555303322524526

Paterson C. Seeking the patient’s perspective: a qualitative assessment of EuroQol, COOP-WONCA Charts and MYMOP2. Quality of Life Research 2004;13: 871-881. 10.1023/B:QURE.0000025586.51955.78

Paterson C. Measuring changes in self-concept: a qualitative evaluation of outcome questionnaires in people having acupuncture for their chronic health problems. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006 Mar 16;6:7. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-6-7

Price S, Mercer SW, MacPherson H. Practitioner empathy, patient enablement and health outcomes: a prospective study of acupuncture patients. Patient education and counseling 2006;63:239-45 10.1016/j.pec.2005.11.006

Hull SK, Page CP, Skinner BD, Linville JC, Coeytaux RR. Exploring outcomes associated with acupuncture. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2006;12:247-254 10.1089/acm.2006.12.247

Paterson C. (2007) Patient-centred outcome measurement. In Macpherson H. Hammerschlag R, Lewith G, Schnyer R. (eds) Acupuncture Research: Strategies for Establishing an Evidence Base. London. Churchill Livingstone.

Shaw J, Bidgood P, Saebi N. Exploring acupuncture outcomes in a college clinic. Patient profile and evaluation of overall treatment benefit. European Journal of Oriental Medicine 2007 5(4): 55-63

Wye L, Digby K. Building research capacity amongst kinesiologists: results from a mixed methods study. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2008 Feb;14(1):65-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2006.12.004

Paterson C, Vindigni D, Polus B, Browell T, Edgecombe G. Evaluating a massage therapy training and treatment programme in a remote Aboriginal community. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2008 Aug;14(3):158-67. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2008.03.004. Epub 2008 Jun 20. PMID: 18640627.

Szczurko O, Cooley K, Mills EJ, Zhou Q, Perri D, Seely D. Naturopathic treatment of rotator cuff tendinitis among Canadian postal workers: a randomized controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum. 2009 Aug 15;61(8):1037-45. doi:10.1002/art.24675

Paterson C, Unwin J, Joire D. Outcomes of traditional Chinese medicine (traditional acupuncture) treatment for people with long-term conditions. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2010 Feb;16(1):3-9.  DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.08.001

Chung V C H,, Wong V C W, Hong Lau C, Hui H,  Hing Lam T, Xiao Zhong L, Wong S Y S, Griffiths S M. Using Chinese Version of MYMOP in Chinese Medicine Evaluation: Validity, Responsiveness and Minimally Important Change. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 2010, 8:111 10.1186/1477-7525-8-111

Paterson C, Taylor R, Griffiths P, Britten N, Rugg S, Bridges J, McCallum B, Kite G. Acupuncture for ‘frequent attenders’ with medically unexplained symptoms: a randomised controlled trial (CACTUS Study). British Journal of General Practice, Volume 61, Number 587, June 2011 , pp. e295-e305(11). https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp11X572689

Fixler M, Ogden C, Moir F, Polley M. Patient experience of acupuncture provision in a GP practice. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2012. 18:140-144 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2012.03.003

Iles R. A physiotherapy telephone assessment and advice service for patients with musculoskeletal problems can improve the process of care while maintaining clinical effectiveness. J Physiother. 2013 Jun;59(2):130. doi: 10.1016/S1836-9553(13)70169-3.

Garrow AP, Xing M, Vere J, Verrall B, Wang L, Jude EB.  Role of acupuncture in the management of diabetic painful neuropathy (DPN): a pilot RCT. Acupunct Med. 2014 Jun;32(3):242-9. doi: 10.1136/acupmed-2013-010495.

Alcantara J, Alcantara JD, Alcantara J.  The use of validated outcome measures in the chiropractic care of pregnant patients: A systematic review of the literature. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2015 May;21(2):131-6.  DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2015.01.003

Siegel P, Gonçalves AV, da Silva LG, Bartolomei L, Barreto MJ, Furlanetti MR, Stephan C, de Barros NF. Yoga and health promotion, practitioners' perspectives at a Brazilian university: A pilot study Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2016 May;23:94-101.  DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2015.05.005

Crawford P, Penzien DB, Coeytaux R.  Reduction in Pain Medication Prescriptions and Self-Reported Outcomes Associated with Acupuncture in a Military Patient Population. Med Acupunct. 2017 1;29(4):229-231. doi: 10.1089/acu.2017.1234.

Soliday E, Betts D.  Treating Pain in Pregnancy with Acupuncture: Observational Study Results from a Free Clinic in New Zealand. J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2018 Feb;11(1):25-30. DOI: 10.1016/j.jams.2017.11.005