Further psychometric property development of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire and development of a modified version, MENQOL-Intervention questionnaire.
OBJECTIVE
To develop the 1996 MENQOL questionnaire further with advice regarding summary score computation, missing-data management, readability, recall period and assessment of the vasomotor domain reliability and construct validity. To develop a modified version, the MENQOL-Intervention questionnaire, for use where certain treatment side effects could negatively impact the quality of life.


METHODS
MENQOL-Intervention modifications involved the addition of three items to the physical domain. For both questionnaires, psychometric property assessment was embedded in two randomized controlled trials of menopause interventions. Test-retest reliability and Cronbach's alpha were computed for all domains as was construct validity of the vasomotor domain for both questionnaires.


RESULTS
The vasomotor intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.73 for the MENQOL-Intervention over 1 week and 0.78 for the MENQOL over 1 month. The altered physical domain of the MENQOL-Intervention questionnaire continued to show strong test-retest reliability and Cronbach's alpha consistent with the MENQOL. The MENQOL-Intervention demonstrated excellent face validity with high construct validity for the vasomotor domain of 0.78-0.80. For both instruments, comparisons of the vasomotor domains to hot flash scores, although statistically significant, were only moderate at 0.56 and 0.49.


CONCLUSIONS
Both the MENQOL and the MENQOL-Intervention questionnaires show strong psychometric properties. We recommend using the MENQOL-Intervention questionnaire where intervention side effects might negatively impact a woman's quality of life. For both questionnaires, a summary score can be calculated.
Lewis
Jacqueline E
JE
Primary Care Research Unit, Room E349, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Division, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Ave., Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada.
Hilditch
John R
JR
Wong
Cindy J
CJ
D001940:Breast / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000503:physiopathology; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000503:physiopathology