International Validation of the Short Version of the Quality of Life Relevance-Acne Questionnaire.

INTRODUCTION

The objective of the present study was to conduct an international validation of the Quality of Life Relevance-Acne Short Version (QOLRELEVANCE-ACNE-SV) and to propose a severity grading system for its scores.

METHODS

All patients were asked to fill in the QOLRELEVANCE-ACNE-SV and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Global acne severity was assessed separately by dermatologists and patients. Students without acne were asked to fill in the QOLRELEVANCE-ACNE-SV questionnaire on a voluntary basis.

RESULTS

The results of 530 patients with acne across five countries that collected more than 100 results each (Croatia, Greece, Ukraine, Turkey and Romania) were analysed. The results from France, Bulgaria and Malta that collected fewer results were used for assessment of internal consistency. The results from Bulgaria were also used to check test-retest reliability. Cronbach's alpha was 0.84-0.95 in all countries except Bulgaria and Malta (0.74 and 0.75, respectively). Correlations between QOLRELEVANCE-ACNE-SV scores and DLQI scores were 0.54-0.85 except for Turkey (0.33); mean global acne severity assessed by a dermatologist 0.44-0.90 and self-assessment of the global acne severity 0.45-0.88 except for Romania (0.28 and 0.38, respectively). Among volunteers without acne, all QOLRELEVANCE-ACNE-SV questionnaire scores were 0. Test-retest reliability of the QOLRELEVANCE-ACNE-SV was good (r = 0.90, p < 0.001). The following grading system of the QOLRELEVANCE-ACNE-SV scores was accepted: total scores < 6 correspond to a mild effect, scores from 6 to 8 correspond to moderate effect and scores > 8 correspond to severe effect on a patient's life.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirmed high specificity of the QOLRELEVANCE-ACNE-SV questionnaire for patients with acne, good test-retest reliability, good or excellent internal consistency in all countries except Bulgaria and Malta, where it rated as acceptable, good or moderate convergent validity with DLQI (except Turkey) and with global acne severity (except Romania). A grading system of the QOLRELEVANCE-ACNE-SV questionnaire scores was accepted.