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Validation of a Quality-of-Life Instrument for Patients With Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

2006; American Medical Association; Volume: 8; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1001/archfaci.8.5.314

1538-3660

John S. Rhee, B. Alex Matthews, Marcy Neuburg, Brent R. Logan, Mary Burzynski, Ann B. Nattinger,

Cutaneous Melanoma Detection and Management

Objective: To validate a disease-specific quality-of-life instrument—the Skin Cancer Index—intended to measure quality-of-life issues relevant to patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer. Methods: Internal reliability, convergent and divergent validity with existing scales, and factor analyses were performed in a cross-sectional study of 211 patients presenting with cervicofacial nonmelanoma skin cancer to a dermatologic surgery clinic. Results: Factor analyses of the Skin Cancer Index confirmed a multidimensional scale with 3 distinct subscales—emotional, social, and appearance. Excellent internal validity of the 3 subscales was demonstrated. Substantial evidence was observed for convergent validity with the Dermatology Life Quality Index, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Lerman's Cancer Worry Scale, and Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form 12 domains for vitality, emotion, social function, and mental health. Conclusions: These findings validate a new disease-specific quality-of-life instrument for patients with cervicofacial nonmelanoma skin cancer. Studies on the responsiveness of the Skin Cancer Index to clinical intervention are currently under way.