Gynaecology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Gynaecology, including details on pap smears, laparoscopy, ultrasound, hysteroscopy.

Development and psychometric testing of a symptom index for pelvic organ prolapse.

Bradshaw HD, Hiller L, Farkas AG, Radley S, Radley SC

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.

A wide range of symptoms are commonly ascribed to pelvic organ prolapse including pain, awareness of lump, bowel, bladder and sexual dysfunction. The aim of this work was to develop and validate an instrument to quantify symptoms related to pelvic organ prolapse. Consultation with symptomatic women and specialists in coloproctology, urology, gynaecology and sexual health resulted in a questionnaire with 25 questions. In total, 203 women participated in a psychometric testing of this instrument, 152 cases with prolapse and 51 controls without. The content validity, criterion validity, reliability and responsiveness of the questionnaire were evaluated. The questionnaire proved a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of symptoms related to uterovaginal prolapse. It is also sensitive to change.

Published 15 May 2006 in J Obstet Gynaecol, 26(3): 241-52.
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