THE DEVELOPMENT of a validated dermatology-specific treatment satisfaction instrument is crucial for accurately assessing patient experiences with psoriasis treatments. This study aimed to evaluate the structural validity, internal consistency, construct validity, and test-retest reliability of the 7-item dermatology-specific treatment satisfaction (DermSat-7) instrument in psoriasis patients. Conducted from July 2020 to April 2023, the research took place in dermatology outpatient clinics at the University of Southern California, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Mount Sinai Union Square, involving 142 adult patients fluent in English.
On the first day, clinicians assessed psoriasis severity using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), body surface area (BSA), and Physician Global Assessment (PGA). Simultaneously, participants completed the DermSat-7, the generic 9-item Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM-9), and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Patients also provided demographic details and self-reported their disease severity using the Patient Global Assessment (PtGA). Fourteen days later, participants completed the DermSat-7 and PtGA again to assess test-retest reliability.
The DermSat-7 is a self-administered instrument designed to evaluate patient satisfaction with psoriasis treatments over a 14-day recall period. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the unidimensionality of its domains. Internal consistency was high, with Cronbach α values of 0.88 for effectiveness and 0.81 for convenience. Construct validity was established through expected differences in satisfaction levels based on PASI and PGA scores, while strong to very strong correlations with TSQM-9 subscores (ρ = 0.75 for effectiveness, ρ = 0.66 for convenience, and ρ = 0.70 for overall satisfaction, all P < .001) further supported validity. Additionally, test-retest reliability was high, with an intraclass correlation of 0.85.
These findings suggest that the DermSat-7 is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring treatment satisfaction in psoriasis patients. The instrument’s strong psychometric properties indicate its potential for broader application in dermatology research and clinical practice, improving the evaluation of patient-reported outcomes and treatment efficacy in inflammatory skin diseases.
Katie Wright, EMJ
Reference
Armstrong AW et al. Validation of DermSat-7 for assessing treatment satisfaction in patients with psoriasis. JAMA Dermatol. 2025;DOI:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.6567.
