Validation of an Egyptian Arabic Version of Skindex-16 and Quality of Life Measurement in Egyptian Patients with Skin Disease

Purpose

To translate and cross-culturally adapt the Skindex-16, a brief skin-disease-specific QoL questionnaire, into Arabic for Egyptians and to evaluate its measurement properties in Egyptian patients with skin disease.

Method

Translation and cultural adaption were performed following guidelines for cross-cultural adaption of health-related quality of life measures. Subsequently, Skindex-16 was administered to 500 consecutive dermatological patients and 500 healthy persons for verification of its reliability and validity. Next, we examined the effect of skin disorders on QoL as well as influences of age, sex, socioeconomic level, education, and use of medication on skin disease-related QoL.

Results

The instrument showed high internal consistency reliability and good construct and content validity. The quality of life was most deteriorated in the emotional domain followed by symptoms domain (mean percentage score 55.5 ± 23.1 and 31.7 ± 26.8 respectively), while functioning was the least affected domain (mean percentage score 29.1 ± 26.8). Higher total Skindex-16 scores were observed for patients with psoriasis, urticaria, acne, and atopic dermatitis than those with vitiligo and alopecia areata. Educational level, social class, medication use, and family history influenced the impact of skin disease on overall QoL.

Conclusion

The adapted Egyptian Arabic version of Skindex-16 is valid and reliable; it showed that skin problems had a clinically significant impact on QoL in Egyptian patients.