Single‐item measure for assessing quality of life in children with drug‐resistant epilepsy

OBJECTIVE: The current study investigated the psychometric properties of a single‐item quality of life (QOL) measure, the Global Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy question (G‐QOLCE), in children with drug‐resistant epilepsy. METHOD: Data came from the Impact of Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery on Health‐Related Quality of Life Study (PESQOL), a multicenter prospective cohort study (n = 118) with observations collected at baseline and at 6 months of follow‐up on children aged 4–18 years. QOL was measured with the QOLCE‐76 and KIDSCREEN‐27. The G‐QOLCE was an overall QOL question derived from the QOLCE‐76. Construct validity and reliability were assessed with Spearman's correlation and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Responsiveness was examined through distribution‐based and anchor‐based methods. RESULTS: The G‐QOLCE showed moderate (r ≥ 0.30) to strong (r ≥ 0.50) correlations with composite scores, and most subscales of the QOLCE‐76 and KIDSCREEN‐27 at baseline and 6‐month follow‐up. The G‐QOLCE had moderate test‐retest reliability (ICC range: 0.49–0.72) and was able to detect clinically important change in patients' QOL (standardized response mean: 0.38; probability of change: 0.65; Guyatt's responsiveness statistics: 0.62 and 0.78). Caregiver anxiety and family functioning contributed most strongly to G‐QOLCE scores over time. SIGNIFICANCE: Results offer promising preliminary evidence regarding the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the proposed single‐item QOL measure. The G‐QOLCE is a potentially useful tool that can be feasibly administered in a busy clinical setting to evaluate clinical status and impact of treatment outcomes in pediatric epilepsy.