Life Quality (Indexes) related to Cosmetic Products Use: A sociological perspective
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Presented by: Patrícia Costa
Introduction Plenty has been studied about Quality of Life Indexes (QOL) related to dermatological disturbances, accessed by Health sciences professionals. However, true metrics specifically designed for the evaluation of the influence of cosmetic products on the QOL of subjects are much rarer and lack the social perspective that could be one of the main justifications for the use of such products. The main objective of this study was to assess the influence of cosmetic products use on improving the QOL of individuals with newly designed questionnaires.
Materials and Methods: 600 QOL questionnaires were evaluated and distributed in 3 groups. All protocols were submitted to an Independent Ethical Commission and all subjects gave their informed written consent including for the prospective part of the study. Data was aggregated, in order to obtain robust samples. All the inclusion and exclusion criteria were similar in order to enter the study pool. The questionnaires were performed in 2 study phases, at the beginning and at the end.
Two protocols with reference QOL Indexes were used: Group I – Protocols using Cardif Acne Disability Index (CADI) and Group II – Protocols using Infants Dermatitis Quality of Life Index (IDQOL). CADI questionnaire was designed for use in teenagers and young adults prone to acne, therefore two age groups were defined (below and after 17 y.old). Regarding IDQOL, two age groups were also defined (children below and after 12 months).
A new Sociological Quality of Life Questionnaire – SQOLQ was developed, based on the results obtained from the prospective part of the study. Two age groups were also defined (below and after 18 y.old).
Statistical analysis was specifically applied to numeric data resulting from questionnaires responses, Descriptive statistics include the calculation of mean values, standard deviation, percentage of variation related to the changes after the application of the product and between groups of participants. The analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon test for paired data to compare the evolution of the cosmetics use in time and the Mann-Whitney U test for compare independent (non-parametric) data. The magnitude of the differences between groups was performed by Cohen's D effect size. A 95% level of significance. Statistical analysis was performed with Software SPSS23 (IBM, USA).
Results: On Group I, the mean QOL of subjects at the D0 was 3.8, and at Dend was 2.2. Regarding the initial values there is a statistically significant improvement in the QOL of 41.6% at the end of the study. An analysis per age was also performed in order to confirm whether teenagers behave differently from young adults. Considering the two age groups, the teenagers show an initial score of 3.0 and a final statistically significant score of 2.2. The young adults show an initial score 4 and a final score of 2.2. The % change regarding D0 (45,9%) was also statistically significant, which is also in line with the expected efficacy described for the products.
On Group II: Despite a higher QOL in the sub-group of children over 12 months, both groups present a statistically significant result at the end. Regarding the % of change, although the sub-group of children over 12 months presents a higher improvement (-28.7%) over the younger one (-23.1%), the differences between the two were not statistically significant and were very small (effect size Cohen's D: 0.06).
On Group III presented similar results of Group I in the older subjects and similar results of the subgroup of young children of Group III.
Discussion: Although the self-reported QOL may depend on several factors, the results suggest that repeated applications of a cosmetic product significantly improve the perception that subjects have on their quality of life. Regarding the IDQOL, the results suggest that the subjects belonging to the sub-group of children over 12 months present a higher QOL impartment than the sub-group of children up to 12 months.
Conclusion: This analysis was mainly focused on the effects of the use of cosmetic products on subjects. However, both the standard questionnaires and the newly designed QOL Index can correctly describe the influence of the cosmetic products on the Quality of Life of subjects who use the products, validating the sociological relevance of cosmetics application.
Materials and Methods: 600 QOL questionnaires were evaluated and distributed in 3 groups. All protocols were submitted to an Independent Ethical Commission and all subjects gave their informed written consent including for the prospective part of the study. Data was aggregated, in order to obtain robust samples. All the inclusion and exclusion criteria were similar in order to enter the study pool. The questionnaires were performed in 2 study phases, at the beginning and at the end.
Two protocols with reference QOL Indexes were used: Group I – Protocols using Cardif Acne Disability Index (CADI) and Group II – Protocols using Infants Dermatitis Quality of Life Index (IDQOL). CADI questionnaire was designed for use in teenagers and young adults prone to acne, therefore two age groups were defined (below and after 17 y.old). Regarding IDQOL, two age groups were also defined (children below and after 12 months).
A new Sociological Quality of Life Questionnaire – SQOLQ was developed, based on the results obtained from the prospective part of the study. Two age groups were also defined (below and after 18 y.old).
Statistical analysis was specifically applied to numeric data resulting from questionnaires responses, Descriptive statistics include the calculation of mean values, standard deviation, percentage of variation related to the changes after the application of the product and between groups of participants. The analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon test for paired data to compare the evolution of the cosmetics use in time and the Mann-Whitney U test for compare independent (non-parametric) data. The magnitude of the differences between groups was performed by Cohen's D effect size. A 95% level of significance. Statistical analysis was performed with Software SPSS23 (IBM, USA).
Results: On Group I, the mean QOL of subjects at the D0 was 3.8, and at Dend was 2.2. Regarding the initial values there is a statistically significant improvement in the QOL of 41.6% at the end of the study. An analysis per age was also performed in order to confirm whether teenagers behave differently from young adults. Considering the two age groups, the teenagers show an initial score of 3.0 and a final statistically significant score of 2.2. The young adults show an initial score 4 and a final score of 2.2. The % change regarding D0 (45,9%) was also statistically significant, which is also in line with the expected efficacy described for the products.
On Group II: Despite a higher QOL in the sub-group of children over 12 months, both groups present a statistically significant result at the end. Regarding the % of change, although the sub-group of children over 12 months presents a higher improvement (-28.7%) over the younger one (-23.1%), the differences between the two were not statistically significant and were very small (effect size Cohen's D: 0.06).
On Group III presented similar results of Group I in the older subjects and similar results of the subgroup of young children of Group III.
Discussion: Although the self-reported QOL may depend on several factors, the results suggest that repeated applications of a cosmetic product significantly improve the perception that subjects have on their quality of life. Regarding the IDQOL, the results suggest that the subjects belonging to the sub-group of children over 12 months present a higher QOL impartment than the sub-group of children up to 12 months.
Conclusion: This analysis was mainly focused on the effects of the use of cosmetic products on subjects. However, both the standard questionnaires and the newly designed QOL Index can correctly describe the influence of the cosmetic products on the Quality of Life of subjects who use the products, validating the sociological relevance of cosmetics application.