Creation of a head and neck Keloid quality of life questionnaire

Objectives: Create a head-and-neck keloid quality of life (QOL) questionnaire. Demonstrate the reliability of the keloid-specific QOL scale according to test-retest and internal consistency standards.

Study design: Prospective cohort study.

Methods: Patients presenting to a keloid clinic in a tertiary referral institution between April 2012 and February 2013 were enrolled on their first visit. They were administered a questionnaire assessing demographics and a 21-item Likert keloid-specific survey assessing symptomatology, self-esteem, social functioning, and therapeutic motivation during their first three visits. Reliability of the keloid questionnaire was assessed for internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest correlations. Patients were treated with Kenalog steroid injections at each visit. The 126-point total score from the questionnaire was then compared to each subscale (physical symptoms, self-esteem, social function, and medical motivation) using a Pearson coefficient.

Results: The keloid QOL questionnaire showed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.87 for the overall questionnaire and ranged from 0.66 to 0.86 for individual questions. The test-retest Pearson's R was 0.70 between visits 1 and 2 and 0.77 between visits 2 and 3. The Pearson correlation between symptoms, self-esteem, social functioning, and medical motivation subscales and the overall scale were 0.77, 0.73, 0.72, and 0.57, respectively.

Conclusion: This head and neck keloid-specific QOL questionnaire proved to be a reproducible method of reliably assessing QOL burden on patients with head and neck keloids.

Level of evidence: N/A.