A pilot quality-of-life instrument for acne rosacea.
BACKGROUND
No rosacea-specific quality-of-life (QOL) instrument exists.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to develop a validated, reliable rosacea-specific instrument.


METHODS
From 6 in-depth interviews, we composed 21 rosacea-specific items. These items and Skindex-29 were administered in a validation cohort (n = 59). Internal consistency reliability and reproducibility were measured with Cronbach's coefficient alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient, respectively. Responsiveness was assessed comparing baseline with 4- to 6-month responses. Construct validity was assessed with principal axes factor analyses. Discriminant validity was examined with an additional 38 patients comparing differences in responsiveness between the rosacea-specific QOL instrument and Skindex.


RESULTS
Reliability was high (Cronbach's alpha: 0.82-0.97, intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.70-0.95). The rosacea-specific QOL instrument showed preliminary responsiveness for patients with improved disease (P <or= .05). Principal axes factor analyses correlated to hypothesized scales (r = 0.57-0.82). Discriminant validity was illustrated with greater differences in responsiveness using the rosacea-specific QOL instrument (P = .008).


CONCLUSIONS
Potential selection bias and lack of generalizability was a limitation.


CONCLUSIONS
The rosacea-specific QOL instrument, RosaQoL, appears to be a reliable and valid QOL instrument and shows preliminary responsiveness for patients with improving rosacea.
Nicholson
Kimberly
K
Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Abramova
Liana
L
Chren
Mary-Margaret
MM
Yeung
Jensen
J
Chon
Susan Y
SY
Chen
Suephy C
SC
D000328:Adult; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012393:Rosacea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile