Hidradenitis Suppurativa Quality of Life 24 (HSQoL-24) now available for Polish patients: creation and validation of the Polish language version

INTRODUCTION: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disorder with a well-documented impact on quality of life (QoL). Due to the very distinctive features of HS the clinical picture, and lack of specific questions, generic dermatology QoL questionnaires cannot adequately reflect patients’ suffering. AIM: To translate and validate the Polish version of the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Quality of Life 24 (HSQoL-24) questionnaire. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The standardized translation process included forward and backward translation from the English version of the instrument. The final version was subsequently validated on a group of 30 HS patients, who completed the questionnaire twice. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and reproducibility of the results were also analysed. RESULTS: The Polish version of HSQoL-24 showed excellent internal consistency, with a Cronbach α coefficient of 0.908. Moreover, excellent reproducibility of the results was observed, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.908. The HSQoL global score correlated positively with Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Hidradenitis Suppurativa Quality of Life (HiSQoL) questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: The Polish version of HSQoL-24 has excellent internal consistency, good reproducibility, and adequate validity. It may be of help in assessing QoL impairment in HS patients in daily practice and research.