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Validation of telephone administration of 2 condition-specific quality-of-life questionnaires.

Geller EJ, Barbee ER, Wu JM, Loomis MJ, Visco AG

Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7570, USA. egeller@med.unc.edu

OBJECTIVE: To validate telephone-administered versions of 2 condition-specific quality of life questionnaires: Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire. STUDY DESIGN: Between December 2005 and September 2006, 55 women were recruited at their 6-week postpartum visit at a university hospital. Written and telephone versions of the 2 questionnaires were completed, with a 2-week interval between each version. The order of administration was randomized. RESULTS: The scores of the written vs telephone versions of the questionnaires were not significantly different (PFDI: 9.8 vs 9.0 respectively; P = .36; PFIQ: 4.4 vs 3.7 respectively; P = .38). These scores were also highly correlated (PFDI, r = 0.96 and PFIQ, r = 0.90). CONCLUSION: Telephone administration of these instruments is a reliable and accurate measure of the impact of pelvic floor disorders and may facilitate clinical and epidemiologic research by decreasing cost and improving access to research participants.

Published 6 December 2007 in Am J Obstet Gynecol, 197(6): 632.e1-4.
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