A Systematic Review of 207 Studies Describing Validation Aspects of the Dermatology Life Quality Index

This systematic review of 207 studies involving 58,828 patients from over 49 countries evaluated the validation aspects of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The DLQI demonstrated strong test-retest reliability and good internal consistency, as confirmed by 43 studies. It was responsive to change, with effect sizes ranging from small to large in 12 studies. Known-groups validity was supported in 42 studies, confirming the DLQI's construct validity across various parameters like disease severity and well-being. The DLQI also correlated with 119 Patient Reported Outcomes/Quality of Life measures. However, only 15% of studies explicitly recruited minority ethnic participants, and 3.9% stratified results by race/ethnicity, highlighting the need for further validation in diverse populations.