Validation of a quality-of-life instrument for patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To validate a disease-specific quality-of-life instrument--the Skin Cancer Index--intended to measure quality-of-life issues relevant to patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer.


METHODS
Internal reliability, convergent and divergent validity with existing scales, and factor analyses were performed in a cross-sectional study of 211 patients presenting with cervicofacial nonmelanoma skin cancer to a dermatologic surgery clinic.


RESULTS
Factor analyses of the Skin Cancer Index confirmed a multidimensional scale with 3 distinct subscales-emotional, social, and appearance. Excellent internal validity of the 3 subscales was demonstrated. Substantial evidence was observed for convergent validity with the Dermatology Life Quality Index, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Lerman's Cancer Worry Scale, and Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form 12 domains for vitality, emotion, social function, and mental health.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings validate a new disease-specific quality-of-life instrument for patients with cervicofacial nonmelanoma skin cancer. Studies on the responsiveness of the Skin Cancer Index to clinical intervention are currently under way.
Rhee
John S
JS
Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, Medical College of Wisconsin, 9200 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. jrhee@mcw.edu
Matthews
B Alex
BA
Neuburg
Marcy
M
Logan
Brent R
BR
Burzynski
Mary
M
Nattinger
Ann B
AB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires