Introducing HomProSS: A standardized prognostic scoring system for homeopathy trials in chronic diseases
Description
Trials of individualized homeopathic medicines may produce inconclusive findings when prognostic factors such as constitution, temperament, and miasm are not adequately considered. This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study developed HomProSS, a standardized scoring system for quantifying homeopathic prognostic factors. Item generation combined literature review and expert free-listing, followed by salience analysis, Delphi consensus, committee review, face validation, inter-rater reliability assessment, and three pilot rounds. Pilot testing (n=124) incorporated descriptive, psychometric, and regression analyses. The final instrument comprised 45 items with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.897–0.918; McDonald’s ω=0.911–0.927), good face validity, and excellent inter-rater reliability. Core homeopathic items demonstrated stronger structural stability, while generic items showed multidimensionality and poorer CFA fit. Rasch analysis supported appropriate item–person targeting and ordered thresholds. HomProSS demonstrated preliminary reliability and feasibility, providing a standardized framework for incorporating prognostic factors into future homeopathic clinical trials.
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Institutions
- West Bengal University of Health SciencesWest Bengal, Kolkata