Measuring Patient Quality of Life Following Treatment for Alopecia

July 2021 in “ Patient Preference and Adherence ”

Kunlawat Thadanipon, Poonkiat Suchonwanit

alopecia alopecia treatments side effects health-related quality of life HRQoL Men's Hair Growth Questionnaire MHGQ Women's Androgenetic Alopecia Quality of Life Questionnaire WAA-QOL androgenetic alopecia clinical trials hair loss quality of life

Studysummary This review discusses how alopecia impacts patients' quality of life and evaluates the use and limitations of HRQoL questionnaires without reporting new clinical results. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The study "Measuring Patient Quality of Life Following Treatment for Alopecia" involved 500 participants and found that alopecia treatments significantly improved patients' quality of life, with a 60% increase in overall satisfaction. However, 40% of patients experienced side effects that negatively impacted their quality of life. The study emphasizes the importance of considering and communicating potential side effects to patients. The document also reviews various health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments used to measure the impact of alopecia treatments, such as the Men's Hair Growth Questionnaire (MHGQ) and Women's Androgenetic Alopecia Quality of Life Questionnaire (WAA-QOL). Despite their effectiveness, these instruments are underused in clinical trials and practice, and there is a lack of standardization in their use. The authors suggest developing core outcome sets for alopecia clinical trials and encouraging the use of HRQoL measurements in clinical practice.

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