Measuring the quality of life of the families of children with eczema in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND: Eczema is the most common skin problem among children in Hong Kong. Previous studies have highlighted that the quality of life of the families of children with eczema influences the effects of eczema interventions. However, the Chinese version of the Family Dermatology Life Quality Index (C-FDLQI), a tool for measuring the quality of life of the families of children with eczema, has not yet been validated. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the psychometric properties of the C-FDLQI among parents and caregivers of children with eczema in Hong Kong. METHODS: This study evaluated the internal consistency, test-retest reliability and structural validity of the C-FDLQI and its convergent validity by examining its correlations with the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and the Cantonese version of the Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (C-CDLQI) among 147 Chinese parents/caregivers of children with varying degrees of eczema. RESULTS: Based on the ratings by an expert panel, both the content validity index and semantic equivalence of the C-FDLQI were satisfactory (>0.90). The C-FDLQI showed high internal consistency, with a Cronbach α of 0.95. Its test-retest reliability was good, with weighted kappa values for the items ranging from 0.70 to 1.00. The total scores of the C-FDLQI showed positive correlations with those of the C-CDLQI (Pearson r = 0.75, p < 0.001) and SCORAD (Pearson r = 0.62, p < 0.001). Known-group comparisons of the C-FDLQI between the parents/caregivers of children with mild eczema and those of children with moderate to severe eczema showed a significant difference (t = -7.343, p < 0.001), indicating that the C-FDLQI had acceptable convergent validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the one-factor structure of the C-FDLQI. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the C-FDLQI is a reliable and valid tool for evaluating the quality of life of parents or caregivers of children with eczema in Hong Kong.