Reliability of health-related quality-of-life measures 1 year after surgical procedures for pelvic floor disorders.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of condition-specific health-related quality-of-life measures in women who are treated surgically for pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.


METHODS
The study used the cross-sectional telephone interview-based administration of a health-related quality-of-life measure, with a 2-week follow-up interview for test-retest reliability.


RESULTS
Initial and follow-up interviews were completed by 88 women (mean age, 65.7 +/- 11.6 years) approximately 1 year after surgical procedures. Condition-specific measures demonstrated acceptable reliability with test-retest correlation coefficients that approached or exceeded 0.6 and Cronbach's alpha that exceeded 0.8 in most domains. Validity was demonstrated with significant correlations of the urinary domains of the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire, with continence defined by the medical, epidemiologic, and social aspects of aging and Hunskaar severity measures (all P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
The condition-specific health-related quality-of-life assessment is reliable and valid in women after surgical procedures for pelvic floor disorders. These findings support the inclusion of condition-specific health-related quality-of-life measures in clinical trials for women with pelvic floor disorders.
Wren
Patricia A
PA
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0330, USA.
Janz
Nancy K
NK
Brubaker
Linda
L
Fitzgerald
Mary Pat
MP
Weber
Anne M
AM
LaPorte
Frankie B
FB
Wei
John T
JT
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D011391:Prolapse; D011788:Quality of Life; D013997:Time Factors; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000601:surgery*