Translation and validation of generic questionnaire on lower urinary tract symptoms for females (ICIQ-FLUTS) inTamil language

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Lower urinary tract symptomsare often underreported by women. Therefore, we wanted to translate and validate the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire on female lower urinary tract symptoms (ICIQ FLUTS) from English to Tamil language. METHOD: With permission, the ICIQ-FLUTS questionnaire was translated to Tamil using the standard procedure. A validation study was carried out among women attending the gynaecology clinicat district general hospital-Mannar. RESULTS: Basic characteristics were as follows; patients with incontinence (n=33) age 50.8 (SD 14.8),median parity=3 (IQ1-1Q3=2-4), BMI 25.8 kg/m2 (SD 5.2), patients with voiding symptoms (n=15) age 60.6 (SD 11.6), median parity=4(IQ1-1Q3=3-4), BMI 24.8 kg/m2 (SD 3.5) and controls (n=74) age 42.8 (SD 15.1), median parity=2 (IQ1-1Q3=1-3), BMI 25.4 kg/m2 (SD 4.4).Content validityassessed by the level of missing data was less than 3% for each item.For the internal consistency,Cronbach’s coefficient alpha scores ranged from 0.79-0.83. Kappa values for test–retest reliabilityin all items were 0.56 to 0.79. Construct validity was assessed by the ability of the questionnaire to identify patients with incontinence from controls (p<0.001) and those with voiding symptoms from controls (p<0.001).Patients with incontinence (n=10)and voiding symptoms (n=9)showed an improvement with treatment (Wilcoxon matched –pairs signedrank test p<0.01 and p<0.05 respectively). CONCLUSION: The preliminary results of the Tamil validation of the ICIQ FLUTS are satisfactory and once completed it will be invaluable to elicit female lower urinary tract symptoms in Tamil speaking patients.