WORK WITH POSAS 3.0
The POSAS can be used free of charge by researchers without commercial interest. We do, however, request a fee for commercial use of the POSAS (i.e. involvement of a manufacturer/supplier in the study) in order to maintain the POSAS website and continue the development of the POSAS.
The introduction of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) in 2004 was a turning point in the assessment of scars through the use of scales. The POSAS was the first scale to take into account both the patient and provider perspective.
From: A review of scar assessment scales,
Tuyet A Nguyen et al. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, Vol. 34, March 2015
ARTICLES
Learn more about scar formation and outcome measurements
How was the POSAS 3.0 developed?
The results from a qualitative study have been published in the Journal Quality of Life Research in 2022. In this manuscript, the results from a series of focus groups were analysed, and used to formulate items for the POSAS 3.0 patient scale. What methods were used? The aim was to develop the POSAS 3.0 patient scale together with adult patients with all scar
Which (type of) outcome measurement instruments are being used to measure scar quality?
Measurements of scar quality can be performed by different types of outcome measurement instruments, including measurement devices and scar assessment scales. Measurement devices are machines which usually measure one characteristic of scar quality. Scar assessment scales allow for the evaluation of multiple characteristics of scar quality.
How do scars form?
A scar is an undesirable, yet normal consequence of wound healing. To understand how they are formed, it’s key to understand a little bit about the skin and how it heals after damage. If a wound extends deep into the dermis or even the subcutaneous tissue below that, it results in more severe scars. It is the result of skin wound healing, a complex process consisting of three phases.
Clinimetrics: how to define the quality of a measurement instrument?
The quality of an outcome measurement instrument can be assessed by evaluating its measurement properties. For (patient-reported) questionnaires, the most important measurement property is the content validity.