title: Validation of the activities assessment scale in women undergoing pelvic reconstructive surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Activities Assessment Scale (AAS) is a 13-item postoperative functional activity scale validated in men who underwent hernia surgery. We evaluated the psychometric characteristics of the AAS in women who underwent vaginal surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 163 women with POP and SUI enrolled in a randomized trial comparing sacrospinous ligament fixation to uterosacral vault suspension with and without perioperative pelvic floor muscle training. Participants completed the AAS and SF-36 at baseline and 2 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. Internal reliability of the AAS was evaluated using Cronbach α. Construct validity and responsiveness were examined in cross-sectional and longitudinal data using Pearson correlation coefficient and analysis of variance. The AAS is scored from zero to 100 (higher scores=better function).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (SD) baseline AAS score was 87 (17.3) (range, 25-100). Functional activity declined from baseline to 2 weeks postoperatively (mean change, -4.5; 95% confidence interval, -7.6 to -1.42) but improved above baseline at 6 months (mean change, +10.9; 95% confidence interval, 7.8-14.0). Internal reliability of the AAS was excellent (Cronbach α=0.93). Construct validity was demonstrated by a correlation of 0.59 to 0.60 between the AAS and SF-36 physical functioning scale (P<0.0001) and lower correlations between the AAS and other SF-36 scales. Patients who improved in physical functioning based on the SF-36 between 2 weeks and 6 months postoperatively showed an effect size of 0.86 for change in the AAS over the same period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AAS is a valid, reliable, and responsive measure for evaluation of physical function in women after pelvic reconstructive surgery.
authors: Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women's Health Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. barberm2@ccf.org
authors: Matthew D
authors: MD
authors: Barber
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Kenton
authors: Nancy K
authors: NK
authors: Janz
authors: Yvonne
authors: Y
authors: Hsu
authors: Keisha Y
authors: KY
authors: Dyer
authors: W Jerod
authors: WJ
authors: Greer
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: White
authors: Susie
authors: S
authors: Meikle
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Ye
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*