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FACE-Q instruments may improve understanding of recovery, QoL impact of aesthetic procedures

According to researchers, a new series of five scales and a checklist developed for the FACE-Q may help researchers and clinical practitioners gain a better understanding of the recovery process and the quality-of-life impact facial aesthetic procedures can have on patients.

The FACE-Q is a patient-reported outcome instrument comprising more than 40 independently functioning scales and checklists that is designed to address a lack of patient-reported outcome tools for facial aesthetic patients.

Researchers evaluated the FACE-Q scales of psychological wellbeing, social function, satisfaction with decision to have treatment, satisfaction with outcome of treatment and early life impact of treatment in a patient sample comprising 702 participants from three studies. Using modern and traditional psychometric methods, the researchers aimed to determine the reliability, validity and responsiveness of these scales and checklist among the patient sample.

Overall, the scales were found to be reliable and valid and demonstrated responsiveness to change. According to the researchers, a low but positive effect size/standardized response means across assessments for the “satisfaction with outcome of treatment” and “satisfaction with decision to have treatment” scales indicated relative stability over time. Additionally, the Recovery Early Symptoms checklist was found to identify a wide range of symptoms after patients underwent face-lifts and lip treatments.

The Person Separation Index indicated good reliability within each scale, and all scales exceeded criteria for acceptability, reliability and validity, according to the researchers.

The researchers suggested using the FACE-Q patient-reported results to better understand patient-reported outcomes and motives within cosmetic surgery. – by Abigail Sutton

Disclosures: The FACE-Q is owned by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Klassen is a co-developer of the FACE-Q and as such, receives a share of any license revenues based on Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s inventor sharing policy. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.