Incontinence Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Incontinence, including details on urinary incontinence, bladder control, treatment, causes.

Validation of decision-making outcomes for female pelvic floor disorders.

Sung VW, Kauffman N, Raker CA, Myers DL, Clark MA

Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to modify and validate the Satisfaction with Decision Scale and Decision Regret Scale for women who have undergone surgery for pelvic floor disorders. STUDY DESIGN: We adapted the Satisfaction with Decision Scale and Decision Regret Scale for women with pelvic floor disorders. Forty-five women who underwent surgery for pelvic floor disorders were enrolled postoperatively and completed the Satisfaction with Decision Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders and Decision Regret Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders on 2 occasions, 1 week apart. RESULTS: Face and content validity of the Satisfaction with Decision Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders and Decision Regret Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders were confirmed by patient interviews and expert panel. The Satisfaction with Decision Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders and Decision Regret Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders were internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha: .95 and .88, respectively) and reproducible (intraclass correlations: 0.82 and 0.84, respectively). Larger improvements between preoperative and postoperative Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 scores were positively correlated with the Satisfaction with Decision Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders (r = 0.42 and 0.49, respectively), and negatively correlated with the Decision Regret Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders (r = -0.60 and -0.63, respectively). The Satisfaction with Decision Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders and Decision Regret Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders were negatively correlated with each other (r = -0.55). CONCLUSION: The Satisfaction with Decision Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders and Decision Regret Scale-Pelvic Floor Disorders are reliable and valid decision-making outcome measures for women with pelvic floor disorders.

Published 5 May 2008 in Am J Obstet Gynecol, 198(5): 575.e1-6.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Incontinence Research Today. All Rights Reserved.