The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI): initial validation and practical use

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dermatology
• Quality of Life Assessment
• Health Outcomes Research

Background:

• Skin diseases significantly impact children's quality of life, leading to disability and handicap.
• Existing adult measures are unsuitable for assessing pediatric dermatology patients.
• There is a need for a validated tool to quantify the impact of skin conditions on children's daily lives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and initially validate a simple, practical questionnaire for assessing the quality of life in children with skin diseases.
• To create a tool that aids clinical decision-making, research, and resource allocation for pediatric dermatology services.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative data collection from 169 children (aged 3-16) and parents identified 111 aspects of life affected by skin disease.
• Development of a 10-question Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) based on identified aspects.
• Piloting and refinement of the CDLQI, followed by validation in 233 pediatric dermatology outpatients, 47 normal controls, and 55 general pediatric patients.

Main Results:

• The CDLQI demonstrated significant differences in scores across various dermatological conditions.
• Children with eczema, psoriasis, and acne reported significantly higher CDLQI scores compared to those with moles and nevi.
• Scabies yielded the highest mean CDLQI score, indicating a substantial impact on quality of life.

Conclusions:

• The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) is a valid and practical tool for measuring the quality of life in children with skin diseases.
• The CDLQI can differentiate between the impact of various skin conditions on pediatric patients.
• This index will be valuable for clinical practice, research, and advocacy in pediatric dermatology.