Validation of a comprehensive pelvic floor questionnaire for the hospital, private practice and research

Objective: The aim of this study was to validate a German pelvic floor questionnaire that integrates bladder, bowel and sexual function, pelvic organ prolapse, severity, bothersomeness and condition-specific quality of life.

Methods: Full psychometric testing of a self- and an interviewer-administered questionnaire was performed in 63 urogynaecological patients.

Results: Missing data did not exceed 4% for any question. The questionnaire clearly distinguished between urogynaecological and other gynaecological (n = 24) populations. Urodynamics, stress test and prolapse quantification correlated with the questionnaire. Cronbach's C values in the self- and interviewer-administered questionnaires were: bladder domain 0.86 and 0.77, bowel function 0.76 and 0.77, prolapse symptoms 0.82 and 0.83, sexual function 0.80 and 0.71. kappa values in the test-retest analyses varied from 0.61 to 1.0.

Conclusions: The pelvic floor questionnaire assessed all aspects of pelvic floor function in a reproducible and valid fashion.