Translation and linguistic validation of the korean version of the pelvic pain and urgency/frequency patient symptom scale.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to achieve a linguistic adaptation of the original version of the Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) Patient Symptom Scale into Korean.


METHODS
Between June 2008 and December 2008, a linguistic adaptation was carried out by 2 native Korean speakers who were also fluent in English. First, the original English version of the PUF was translated into Korean. A panel, which included the 2 translators, reviewed the translations to form a single reconciled forward translation of the Korean version. Then, another bilingual translator, having never seen the original version, back-translated the first draft of the Korean version of the PUF into English, and this back-translation was subsequently assessed for equivalence to the original. The panel discussed all discrepancies and produced a second version. After revising the 2nd version, 10 participants [5 interstitial cystitis (IC) patients and 5 persons from the general population], stratified variously by age, sex, and educational level, answered the PUF and were systematically debriefed afterwards. A summary of the changes from the patient interviews were incorporated into the third version. After the spelling, grammar, layout, and formatting were checked, the third version was verified as the final Korean version of the PUF, without modifications.


RESULTS
The multi-step process of forward translation, reconciliation, back-translation, cognitive debriefing, and proofreading of the Korean version of the PUF was completed.


CONCLUSIONS
The Korean version of the PUF scale may be helpful for screening IC patients in the Korean population and can now be used in Korea.
Department of Urology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Hwan-Cheol
HC
Son
Yoo-Jin
YJ
Jung
Jin-Suk
JS
Chang
Sun-Hyung
SH
Kim
Sung-Kyu
SK
Hong
Seung-June
SJ
Oh
C Lowell
CL
Parsons
Kyu-Sung
KS
Lee