Validation of the Finnish version of the BODY-Q patient-reported outcome instrument among patients who underwent abdominoplasty

J P Repo; P Homsy; M M Uimonen; R P Roine; T Jahkola; P Popov

doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2019.02.017

Validation of the Finnish version of the BODY-Q patient-reported outcome instrument among patients who underwent abdominoplasty

J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2019 Jun;72(6):933-940. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2019.02.017. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Authors

J P Repo¹, P Homsy², M M Uimonen³, R P Roine⁴, T Jahkola², P Popov⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery, Central Finland Central Hospital, Keskussairaalantie 19, 40620 Jyväskylä, Finland. Electronic address: jussi.repo@ksshp.fi.
² Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, HUS, Finland.
³ Department of Surgery, Central Finland Central Hospital, Keskussairaalantie 19, 40620 Jyväskylä, Finland.
⁴ Group Administration, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, HUS, Finland; Department of Health and Social Management, Research Centre for Comparative Effectiveness and Patient Safety, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
⁵ Eira Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.

PMID: 30910503
DOI: 10.1016/j.bjps.2019.02.017

Abstract

Background: Massive weight loss can notably affect patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and body image. Yet, no body contouring specific instruments to assess HRQoL and body image after massive weight loss have been validated in Finnish. The BODY-Q includes 26 independently functioning scales and a single checklist that measure appearance, HRQoL, and experience of care. The aim of the present study was to translate and validate a Finnish version of the BODY-Q among patients who underwent abdominoplasty.

Methods: The BODY-Q was translated into Finnish using recommended guidelines. Eighty-two patients who underwent abdominoplasty due to massive weight loss were identified from hospital records using procedure codes. A postal survey including the BODY-Q, the 15D, and general health and pain instruments was used. Criterion validity, Cronbach's alpha, and floor and ceiling effects were analyzed.

Results: The BODY-Q translated well into Finnish. Fifty-three patients returned the questionnaires (response rate 65%) and were included. All but the Scars subscale correlated significantly with the 15D mean score, thus indicating strong criterion validity against a generic HRQoL tool. The Excess Skin and the Physical Function scales reached the ceiling effect (>15% of maximum points) in our postoperative sample. No floor effects were observed. Internal consistency of the BODY-Q scales was high (Cronbach's alpha range, 0.81-0.95).

Conclusions: The Finnish version of the BODY-Q instrument is equivalent in terms of content, accuracy, and comprehensiveness to the original English version. The findings of the present study indicate that the BODY-Q has psychometric properties suitable for assessing outcomes and treatment effectiveness of abdominoplasty.

Keywords: Abdominoplasty; BODY-Q; Body; Body image; Contouring; Quality of life.

MeSH terms

Abdominal Wall / pathology
Abdominal Wall / surgery
Abdominoplasty* / methods
Abdominoplasty* / psychology
Adult
Body Image / psychology*
Female
Finland
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Outcome Assessment, Health Care / methods
Outcome Assessment, Health Care / standards
Patient Reported Outcome Measures
Psychometrics / methods
Quality of Life*
Reproducibility of Results
Surveys and Questionnaires / standards*
Translations
Weight Loss*