Brazilian Portuguese version of the Patient Scar Assessment Questionnaire

Introduction: Scars and their associated signs and symptoms have the potential to impact many aspects of health. Given the growing number of individuals with new scars, it is essential to have reliable, sensitive, and specific assessment tools that analyze the influence that scars can have on the quality of life. The objective is translate the Patient Scar Assessment Questionnaire (PSAQ) into Portuguese, adapt it to the Brazilian cultural context, and test its reproducibility, reliability, and validity. Methods: The questionnaire was applied to 121 individuals with post-surgical scars consecutively selected at a plastic surgery clinic from January 2015 to June 2016. The PSAQ consists of 39 questions divided into five subscales: appearance, symptoms, perception, satisfaction with appearance, and symptoms. Then its reproducibility, face, content, and construct validity were analyzed. Internal consistency was tested using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and construct validation was performed by correlating the translated instrument with the QualiFibro and Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) questionnaires. Results: Analysis of the internal consistency of the PSAQ subscales obtained values >0.70 in all domains, showing good internal consistency. Reproducibility was demonstrated using Pearson’s correlation and the Bland-Altman method, and the outcomes showed good reproducibility. In construct validation, a significant correlation was observed in all PSAQ domains with POSAS and QualiFibro. Conclusion: The PSAQ was translated into Portuguese and adapted to Brazilian culture, reproducible and presenting face, content, and construct validity.