Validation of the dermatology-specific proxy instrument the Infants and Toddlers Dermatology Quality of Life

P V Chernyshov; F Sampogna; N Pustišek; B Marinovic; L Manolache; A Suru; C M Salavastru; G S Tiplica; G Stoleriu; T Kakourou; A Alexopoulos; L Nasi; J C Szepietowski; M Trzeciak; R J Nowicki; O V Chubar; A V Chernyshov; T V Pochynok

doi:10.1111/jdv.15496

Validation of the dermatology-specific proxy instrument the Infants and Toddlers Dermatology Quality of Life

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019 Jul;33(7):1405-1411. doi: 10.1111/jdv.15496. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Authors

P V Chernyshov¹, F Sampogna², N Pustišek³, B Marinovic⁴, L Manolache⁵, A Suru⁶, C M Salavastru⁷, G S Tiplica⁸, G Stoleriu⁹, T Kakourou¹⁰, A Alexopoulos¹⁰, L Nasi¹⁰, J C Szepietowski¹¹, M Trzeciak¹², R J Nowicki¹², O V Chubar¹³, A V Chernyshov¹⁴, T V Pochynok¹⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology and Venereology, National Medical University, Kiev, Ukraine.
² Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
³ Children's Hospital Zagreb, Medical School, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
⁴ University Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb and School of Medicine of University in Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
⁵ Dermatology, Dali Medical, Bucharest, Romania.
⁶ Paediatric Dermatology Discipline, Dermatology Research Unit, Colentina Clinical Hospital, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
⁷ Paediatric Dermatology Discipline, Colentina Clinical Hospital, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
⁸ Department of Dermatology II, Colentina Clinical Hospital, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
⁹ Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, "St. Spiridon" Hospital, "Dunărea de Jos" University of Galati, Derma Clinique, Iasi, Romania.
¹⁰ First Pediatric Department of Athens University, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
¹¹ Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
¹² Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
¹³ Kiev City Clinical Dermatovenereologic Hospital, Kiev, Ukraine.
¹⁴ Department of Cellular Radiobiology, State Institution "National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine", Kiev, Ukraine.
¹⁵ Department of Pediatrics Number 1, National Medical University, Kiev, Ukraine.

PMID: 30767284
DOI: 10.1111/jdv.15496

Abstract

Background: The first dermatology-specific proxy health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument for children 0-4 years old with skin diseases, the Infants and Toddlers Dermatology Quality of Life (InToDermQoL), was recently developed. In order to avoid the problem of cross-cultural inequivalence focus groups work and pilot tests were organized simultaneously in all national centres of the project. The InToDermQoL showed good comprehensibility, clarity and acceptance.

Objective: To validate the InToDermQoL questionnaire during international field tests.

Methods: Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent and discriminant validity of the InToDermQoL questionnaire were checked during international field tests.

Results: Parents of 473 children with skin diseases filled in the national language versions of the InToDermQoL questionnaire. All three age-specific versions of the InToDermQoL questionnaire with 10, 12 and 15 items, respectively, showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.90-0.93), good test-retest reliability (correlation coefficients > 0.9), significant correlations with the most widely used atopic dermatitis-specific proxy instrument, the Infants Dermatitis Quality of Life Index (correlation coefficients 0.68-0.79). The InToDermQoL versions for children <3 years old well correlated with the atopic dermatis severity measure Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (correlation coefficients 0.66 and 0.86 for 10 and 12 items versions, respectively). The InToDermQoL questionnaire discriminated well among different diagnoses and disease severity levels.

Conclusion: Our field tests confirmed internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent and discriminant validity of the InToDermQoL questionnaire. Development and validation of the InToDermQoL questionnaire make it possible to assess dermatology-specific aspects of HRQoL in youngest children with skin diseases. There are many reasons to assess HRQoL in dermatologic clinical practice, and we hope that our new instrument will be used internationally in paediatric dermatology for research and practical needs.

Publication types

Multicenter Study
Validation Study

MeSH terms

Child, Preschool
Dermatology
Europe
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Language
Male
Parents*
Proxy
Psychometrics
Quality of Life*
Reproducibility of Results
Severity of Illness Index
Skin Diseases* / complications
Surveys and Questionnaires*