title: Psychometric validation of the Italian version of the I-QoL questionnaire: clinical and urodynamic findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to validate the Italian version of the Incontinence-Quality of Life questionnaire (I-QoL) in women with clinical and urodynamic urinary incontinence (UI). A secondary end point was to compare the results of women with reported UI, but negative urodynamic findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Italian translation of the I-QoL was administered to 267 Italian women with pelvic organ prolapse < stage III, and who had undergone previous surgical or medical therapy for UI. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to assess internal consistency of the I-QoL items. Reproducibility was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Convergent validity involved comparison of I-QoL scores and the Short Form-36 Health questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and sixty-seven patients were considered for the primary end point: 47 had a negative history of UI and a normal urodynamic test, 120 complained of UI confirmed by a urodynamic test, 59 had a positive history for UI and a urodynamic test negative for UI, and 35 patients not reporting UI had a positive urodynamic test. The I-QoL score revealed that the QoL was lower in patients with reported UI, irrespective of urodynamic findings. The overall I-QoL summary score and subscales showed high internal consistency (alpha ranges from 0.88 to 0.96). ICC ranged from 0.98 to 0.99, demonstrating the stability of the scores. The physical domain of the I-QoL showed a 0.27 correlation with the physical functioning subscale of the SF-36. No significant difference in I-QoL scores was found among various types of UI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Italian translated version of the I-QoL is reliable, consistent and a valid instrument for assessing impact on quality of life in Italian speaking women with UI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Turin, Corso Siracusa 188, 10137, Turin, Italy, federica.possavino@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Possavino
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Preti
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carone
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Randaccio
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Elia
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Allais
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cosma
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benedetto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014177:Translations; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D014563:Urodynamics