PIH56 Measuring Quality of Life in Facial Aesthetic Patients: Field-Testing of a New Modular System (the FACE-Q)

Abstract

MEASURING QUALITY OF LIFE IN FACIAL AESTHETIC PATIENTS: FIELDTESTING OF A NEW MODULAR SYSTEM (THE FACE-Q) Pusic A1, Klassen A2, Scott A1, Price A1, Cano S3 1Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA, 2McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, 3Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth, UK OBJECTIVES: In aesthetic surgery, the assessment of patient-reported outcomes is especially pertinent to clinicians because patient satisfaction and improved quality of life are the predominant considerations determining success. In order to appropriately measure the impact of these procedures, well-developed and validated questionnaires are needed. The objective of this study was to develop a new patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure to evaluate patient satisfaction and quality of life following facial cosmetic procedures (surgical and non-surgical). The main scale: ‘Satisfaction with face overall’ will be presented. METHODS: Field-testing was performed at 3 centers (US and Canada). Preoperative patients were 18 years and scheduled to undergo a facial cosmetic procedure. Postoperative patients had undergone a facial cosmetic procedure within 2 weeks-5 years. Patients received a questionnaire with standard incentives and reminders. Rasch analysis was used for item reduction and scale development (RUMM2030©), each scale and item were examined according to 7 measurement criteria (clinical meaning, thresholds for item response options, item fit, item locations, DIF, standardized residuals, person separation index). RESULTS: A total of 344 facial cosmetic patients (pre procedure n 79, post procedure n 265) participated. Scales were constructed for each area defined as important to patients by the qualitative data. This was achieved by choosing sets of items hypothesized to constitute a scale, analyzing the data against measurement criteria and making decisions on item selection and deletion. The main scale ‘Satisfaction with Face Overall’ fulfilled Rasch and traditional psychometric criteria (including Person Separation index 0.94; Cronbach’s alpha 0.95). CONCLUSIONS: The FACE-Q is a new PRO measure that will provide essential information about the impact and effectiveness of surgical and non-surgical facial aesthetic procedures from the patients’ perspective. It is conceptually grounded in patient perceptions and fulfills criteria for rigorous measurement. It will support multi-center studies, while also being clinically useful.