Quality of life measurement in acne. Position Paper of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Task Forces on Quality of Life and Patient Oriented Outcomes and Acne, Rosacea and Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Abstract

Acne causes profound negative psychological and social effects on the quality of life (QoL) of patients. The European Dermatology Forum S3-Guideline for the Treatment of Acne recommended adopting a QoL measure as an integral part of acne management. Because of constantly growing interest in health-related QoL assessment in acne and because of the high impact of acne on patients' lives, the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Task Force on QoL and Patient Oriented Outcomes and the Task Force on Acne, Rosacea and Hidradenitis Suppurativa have documented the QoL instruments that have been used in acne patients, with information on validation, purposes of their usage, description of common limitations and mistakes in their usage and overall recommendations.

Quality of life measurement in hidradenitis suppurativa: position statement of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology task forces on Quality of Life and Patient‐Oriented Outcomes and Acne, Rosacea and Hidradenitis Suppurativa

“…The DLQI's MCID may be used as a marker of minimal treatment efficacy and the DLQI of 0‐1, corresponding to ‘no effect on patient's life’ according to the DLQI banding descriptions may be considered as a difficult to reach but important treatment goal. The EADV TFs encourage the further development, validation and use of other HS‐specific, dermatology‐specific and generic instruments but such use should be based on the principles presented in the previous publications of the EADV TF on QoL and Patient‐Oriented Outcomes …”

“…The EADV TFs encourage the further development, validation and use of other HS-specific, dermatology-specific and generic instruments but such use should be based on the principles presented in the previous publications of the EADV TF on QoL and Patient-Oriented Outcomes. [96][97][98][99][100][101]…”

The Evolution of Quality of Life Assessment and Use in Dermatology

“…This HRQoL impact is not identical across different skin diseases [56-58]. QoL assessment may be used in educational programs as well as a predictor of patients’ interest in such programs and a predictor of willingness to visit a dermatologist, likely compliance, adherence to treatment, clinical success and even survival [10, 11, 59-62]. Gender- and age-specific differences may also be found [63-67].…”

“…The DLQI is the most widely used QoL instrument in dermatology both for general use and in the majority of the separate skin diseases [3, 10, 11]. There are many disease-specific QoL instruments for patients with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and acne.…”

Creation and pilot test results of the dermatology‐specific proxy instrument: the Infants and Toddlers Dermatology Quality of Life

“…Since that time interest in QoL of children with skin diseases is growing, HRQoL has been studied in different dermatologic diseases. 5,[10][11][12][13] Most of the disease-specific questionnaires to be used in paediatric dermatology are atopic dermatitis (AD)-specific tools, and there is a lack of diseasespecific instruments for youngest patients with other skin diseases. There are reports that with the help of illustrations and interview forms age limit of self-assessment of QoL can be reduced to the minimum age of five 3 and even four.…”