title: Women's ability to assess their urinary incontinence type using the QUID as an educational tool.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little evidence is available concerning the ability of women with urinary incontinence (UI) to properly assess their problem. This study compared women's assessments of their UI type with physicians' diagnoses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women referred to a urogynecology clinic for UI were asked to anonymously answer a short validated Questionnaire for Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis (QUID) before their physician visit. Women completed the QUID and read a brief explanation of its interpretation, after which they were asked to choose their UI type: stress, urge, or mixed. Physicians, blinded to patients' answers, conducted routine examinations and indicated their diagnoses of incontinence types. Sample size was representative of typical clinic volumes. Levels of agreement among physician diagnoses, QUID scores, and patient self-assessments of UI type were calculated with kappa (κ) statistics. Physician diagnosis was the gold standard.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We had 497 patients return the questionnaire; 338 met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 53 (± 13) years. Levels of agreement among physician diagnoses and patients' assessments of UI type (κ=0.411, p<0.01) and QUID scores (κ=0.378, p<0.01) were significant. Significant level of agreement was found among QUID scores and patients' assessments of UI type (κ=0.497, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With aid of a brief standardized questionnaire, women can accurately assess their UI type. This suggests women could be educated about UI via good-quality Internet health sites and choose appropriate conservative management options.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. scott.farrell@iwk.nshealth.ca
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bent
authors.forename: Baharak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amir-Khalkhali
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rittenberg
authors.forename: Art
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zilbert
authors.forename: Karen D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: Cora
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fanning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000175:diagnosis*; D053202:Urinary Incontinence, Urge / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult