title: Body image in the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Questionnaire: development and validation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a prolapse-specific body image questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prolapse-specific body image themes that were identified in our previous work served as a framework for the development of a question pool. After review for face and content validity and reading level, the question pool was reduced to 21 items that represent predominant themes and that form the initial Body Image in Pelvic Organ Prolapse (BIPOP) questionnaire. Women with symptomatic prolapse of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POPQ) of more than stage II were enrolled from 2 academic urogynecology practices; they completed questionnaires on pelvic floor symptoms and distress, general body image, depression, self-esteem, and the BIPOP questionnaire, and they underwent the POPQ. We field-tested the BIPOP questionnaire with approximately 200 participants; 10 women completed cognitive interviews, and 100 women repeated the BIPOP questionnaire to assess test-retest reliability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred eleven participants were enrolled, and 201 women had complete data. Participants had mean age of 60.2 ± 10.5 years, were predominantly white (98%), were partnered (80%), and had median POPQ stage III. Cognitive interviews confirmed comprehension and clarity of questions and acceptability of length and subject matter. Exploratory factor analysis was performed in an iterative process until a parsimonious, 10-item scale with 2 subscales was identified (subscale 1 represented general attractiveness; subscale 2 represented partner-related prolapse reactions). Cronbach's α score for the subscales were 0.90 (partner) and 0.92 (attractiveness). Correlations between related questionnaires and BIPOP subscales were strong and directionally appropriate. Test-retest correlations on both total and subscale measurements were high.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We developed and validated a prolapse-specific body image measurement that has face and content validity, high internal consistency, strong correlation with general prolapse and body image measures, and strong test-retest reliability.
authors.affiliation: Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Jerry L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lowder
authors.affiliation: Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ghetti
authors.affiliation: Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Sallie S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Oliphant
authors.affiliation: Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Skoczylas
authors.affiliation: Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Galen E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Switzer
mesh_terms: D001828:Body Image; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D019529:Sexuality; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: body image; pelvic organ prolapse; questionnaire; validation