Validation of telephone administration of 2 condition-specific quality-of-life questionnaires.
OBJECTIVE
To validate telephone-administered versions of 2 condition-specific quality of life questionnaires: Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire.


METHODS
Between December 2005 and September 2006, 55 women were recruited at their 6-week postpartum visit at a university hospital. Written and telephone versions of the 2 questionnaires were completed, with a 2-week interval between each version. The order of administration was randomized.


RESULTS
The scores of the written vs telephone versions of the questionnaires were not significantly different (PFDI: 9.8 vs 9.0 respectively; P = .36; PFIQ: 4.4 vs 3.7 respectively; P = .38). These scores were also highly correlated (PFDI, r = 0.96 and PFIQ, r = 0.90).


CONCLUSIONS
Telephone administration of these instruments is a reliable and accurate measure of the impact of pelvic floor disorders and may facilitate clinical and epidemiologic research by decreasing cost and improving access to research participants.
Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7570, USA. egeller@med.unc.edu
Elizabeth J
EJ
Geller
Elizabeth R
ER
Barbee
Jennifer M
JM
Wu
Mary J
MJ
Loomis
Anthony G
AG
Visco
D000328:Adult; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000175:diagnosis*