Translation and validation of ICIQ-FLUTS for Tamil-speaking women.
OBJECTIVE
Research in to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in women in South Asia is hampered by lack of validated tools. Our aim was to validate the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire on Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS) from English to Tamil.


METHODS
After translation to Tamil, a validation study was carried out among women attending the gynecology clinic at District General Hospital-Mannar.


RESULTS
Content validity assessed by the level of missing data was <2%. Construct validity was assessed by the ability of the questionnaire to identify patients with incontinence (n = 45) from controls (n = 93) using the incontinence score [patients = 7.7 standard deviation (SD) = 4.7, controls = 1.4 SD = 2.2, p < 0.001] and those with symptomatic anterior wall prolapse (n = 16) from controls (n = 93) using voiding symptoms score (patients = 4.8 SD = 2.3, controls = 0.3 SD = 0.8, p < 0.001). Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's coefficient alpha score [0.80 (0.77-0.81)]. Test-retest reliability assessed by weighted kappa (κ) ranged from 0.73 to 0.87. Patients with incontinence (n = 30, pretreatment incontinence score = 7.9, SD = 4.9 versus posttreatment incontinence score = 3.3, SD = 3.1) and symptomatic anterior wall prolapse (n = 14, preoperative voiding symptoms score = 4.9 SD = 2.5 versus postoperative voiding symptoms score = 0.9 SD = 1.5) showed an improvement with treatment (Wilcoxon matched--pairs signed-rank test p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). An incontinence score ≥ 3 (sensitivity = 86.7%, specificity = 78.4%) and a voiding symptoms score ≥ 3 (sensitivity = 87.5%, specificity = 96.2%) detected any form of incontinence and symptomatic anterior wall prolapse, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Tamil translation of ICIQ-FLUTS retained the psychometric properties of the original English questionnaire and will be an invaluable tool to detect LUTS among Tamil-speaking women.
District General Hospital-Mannar, Mannar, Sri Lanka. cdekanayake2000@yahoo.co.uk.
Chanil D
CD
Ekanayake
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
Arunasalam
A
Pathmeswaran
Medical Officer of Health, Biyagama, Sri Lanka.
A A Nilanga
AAN
Nishad
District General Hospital-Vavuniya, Vavuniya, Sri Lanka.
Kanishka U
KU
Samaranayake
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
Prasantha S
PS
Wijesinghe
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013188:Sri Lanka; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D014177:Translations; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D014554:Urination
Anterior vaginal wall prolapse; ICIQ; Lower urinary tract symptoms; Urinary incontinence; Validation