Validation of the Sinhala translation of the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire for female lower urinary tract symptoms among women in Sri Lanka.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The objective of this study was to translate the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire for female lower urinary tract symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS) into Sinhala and validate the Sinhala translation for use in clinical practice.

METHODS

The ICIQ-FLUTS was translated into Sinhala in accordance with the ICIQ validation protocol. The Sinhala translation was validated by administering it to 133 women with FLUTS, mainly urinary incontinence and or urgency, and to 118 women with symptoms other than FLUTS during the period 25 October 2013 to 23 December 2016, in the Academic Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit, Teaching Hospital Mahamodara, Galle, Sri Lanka.

RESULTS

The Sinhala translation had good content validity (assessed by a panel of clinicians including a content specialist, and a group of women with and without FLUTS), good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient in the range 0.69-0.75) was stable (no significant differences between median test-retest scores in a subgroup of 24 women with FLUTS), had good construct validity (marked difference between median scores in women presenting with and without FLUTS, p < 0.001), and good responsiveness (marked improvements between scores before and after treatment, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The Sinhala translation of the ICIQ-FLUTS is valid and reliable for assessing Sinhalese-speaking women with FLUTS, especially urinary incontinence and/or urgency.