Which questionnaire? A psychometric evaluation of three patient-based outcome measures used to assess surgery for stress urinary incontinence

• Published in: Neurourology and urodynamics 2007-01, Vol.26 (1), p.123-128
• Main Authors: Reid, Fiona M., Smith, Anthony R.B., Dunn, Graham
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Colposcopy; Female; Humans; Laparoscopy; outcome measures; Psychometrics - standards; Quality of Life; Reproducibility of Results; Severity of Illness Index; stress urinary incontinence; Surveys and Questionnaires - standards; Treatment Outcome; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - physiopathology; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - psychology; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - surgery
• ISSN: 0733-2467; 1520-6777
• DOI: 10.1002/nau.20303

Aims The aim of the study was to further validate three patient‐based outcome measures (PBOM) used to assess the outcome of surgery for stress urinary incontinence and to compare their psychometric properties with a view to determining the most appropriate measure for clinical use. Methods The work was embedded within a randomized controlled trial of laparoscopic and open colposuspension. The trial recruited 291 women from six centers. The three instruments compared were Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Questionnaire (BFLUTS), Kings Health Questionnaire (KHQ), and the Symptom Severity Index and Symptom Impact Index (SSI/SII). The International Consultation on Incontinence (ICI) ABC grading system of psychometric propertie's reliability, validity, and responsiveness was used to evaluate the instruments. Results From the analysis of the psychometric properties of the three instruments, the SSI/SII appeared to have the best psychometric profile; Grade A, BFLUTS was of grade A, and KHQ was of grade B. SSI/SII had a good degree of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.74–0.78). BFLUTS and KHQ both had domains in which the internal consistency was