Abstract
Objective: Our purpose was to compare 3 approaches to the measurement of quality of life in patients referred for specialist care of acne. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 130 patients referred for management of their acne. Follow-up questionnaires were sent 4 and 12 months after treatment began. The questionnaire contained a generic index measure (EuroQol EQ-5D), a generic profile measure (Short Form 36), and a disease-specific measure (Dermatology Life Quality Index). Pretreatment results for the EQ-5D were compared with normative data. The responsiveness of the EQ-5D was compared with that of the other measures. Results: Before treatment, the sample reported substantially more pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression on the EQ-5D compared with a population sample. The disease-specific measure was more responsive to change compared with both generic measures. Conclusion: Our study highlights the importance of combining information from generic measures with information from instruments designed specifically for use in people with skin disease.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 229-233 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology |
| Volume | 43 |
| Issue number | 2 I |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2000 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The study was funded mainly by the Anglia and Oxford Regional Health Authority, but also received a small grant from Roche Products Limited, manufacturers of isotretinoin.