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European Journal of Dermatology

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Validation of a comprehensive Freiburg Life Quality Assessment (FLQA) core questionnaire and development of a threshold system Volume 14, issue 2, March-April 2004

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Authors
Department of Dermatology, University Clinics of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 7, 79104 Freiburg, Germany Psorisolklinik, Dermatological Treatment Center Hersbruck, Mhlstrasse 31, 91217 Hersbruck, Germany

Health related quality of life (HRQOL) has become an important research topic in dermatology. We developed a series of modular, dermatology‐specific HRQOL questionnaires: the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment (FLQA). Each FLQA questionnaire consists of a core module (FLQA‐c) applicable to all skin diseases plus a number of items specific to distinct dermatological diseases. The objectives of the present study were: 1) to test the psychometric properties of the FLQA‐c, and 2) to define a threshold indicating a significantly reduced HRQOL. 394 psoriasis patients, 253 atopic dermatitis patients, and 240 control subjects completed the FLQA‐c. Cronbach‘s alphas were above 0.75 for all six scales except for "treatment". Discriminant validity, sensitivity to change, and convergent validity were satisfactory. On the different scales, the threshold indicating a marked reduction in HRQOL detected 33% to 68% of the patients. These data support the reliability and validity of the FLQA‐c.