Pubblicata la validazione della versione in lingua italiana del questionario elettronico ePAQ.

Lavori in corso per rendere fruibile il questionario attraverso il sito SIUD

Abstract

Aim: Tools for remote clinical assessment have become increasingly important.

Patient‐reported outcome questionnaires are increasingly being considered as the keystones of pelvic floor disorder assessment. An innovative English language multidisciplinary electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire (ePAQ‐PF) was psychometrically validated in 2006. A certified Italian version (I.ePAQ‐PF) has been recently made available by the Italian Society of Urodynamics. In this study, we aimed to test the psychometric properties to validate the urinary dimension of the I.ePAQ‐PF.

Methods: Women complaining of lower urinary tract symptoms were enrolled. After providing informed consent, women filled in the I.ePAQ‐PF via a dedicated touch‐screen display (T0), together with concurrent questionnaires: International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire – Short form, Urgency Severity Scale, Urogenital Distress Inventory, and Patient Global Impression of Improvement. Cronbach’s α and Spearman’s correlation coefficients were adopted (validity). A test‐retest was performed in 47 cases (reliability), and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was analyzed. I.ePAQ‐PF was also administered after treatment (T1) and compared with baseline data via a Wilcoxon’s test and Cohen’s effect‐size tests (responsiveness).

Results: Ninety‐three women were included. Internal consistency was confirmed (Cronbach’s α >.7). A Spearman’s correlation test showed a good correlation (>0.6) between I.ePAQ‐PF and conceptually similar questionnaires.

I.ePAQ‐PF seems to be highly reproducible in all domains (ICC >0.86). The questionnaire scored significantly differently (Wilcoxon test P < .003) in all domains after the treatment. Responsiveness was further confirmed by Cohen’s effect size of more than 30%.

Conclusions: The Italian ePAQ‐PF (urinary domain) fully satisfies the psychometric properties of validity, reliability, and responsiveness and is ready for clinical application in Italian clinical settings.