Validation of the prolapse quality of life questionnaire (P-QOL) in a Turkish population

Objective: To validate the Turkish translated version of the prolapse quality of life questionnaire (P-QOL). Study design: After establishing the test-retest reliability and internal consistency in a pilot study, 310 patients were enrolled in the study and general and subscale scores of the questionnaires were calculated. All participants underwent the International Continence Society (ICS) prolapse score (POP-Q). Results: One hundred and forty-five (49.7%) women were symptomatic and 147 (50.3%) were asymptomatic. The level of missing data ranged from 0 to 2.2%. For the test-retest reliability, Spearman's rho was from 0.91 to 1.00 for all domains (p < 0.001). The severity of PQOL was strongly correlated with the vaginal examination findings among the symptomatic group (p < 0.001). Items correlated with the objective vaginal examination findings. The total and domain scores for P-QOL of symptomatic and asymptomatic women were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The Turkish translated version of the P-QOL is reliable, consistent and valid instrument for assessing symptom severity, impact on quality of life in women with uterovaginal prolapse. It is easy to understand may be easily administered and self-completed by the women. 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Validation of the Turkish version of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-OV28 ovarian cancer specific quality of life questionnaire

Objective: To examine reliability and validity of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-OV28 questionnaire into the Turkish language according to the instructions provided by EORTC. Materials and Methods: Ninety-seven patients who were diagnosed as having ovarian cancer and treated between January 2005 and June 2010 with an expected survival time of at least 3 months, were enrolled into the study. The exclusion criteria were diagnoses of any disease that could disrupt consciousness and concurrent malignancies. The EORTC QLQ-OV28 module was translated into Turkish by professional translators and physicians. The test-retest reliability of the Turkish version of the questionnaire was performed on 30 patients. Answers were scored according to the instructions provided by the EORTC. The total score was calculated as explained above and after scoring procedures, all subscale scores were linearly transformed to a 0-100 scale. All patients concomitantly completed the Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Patients were analyzed in two groups: on-treatment and off-treatment groups consisted of patients who did and did not undergo chemotherapy or surgery within the last two months, respectively. The demographic data of all patients were recorded. EORTC QLQ-OV28 scores of both groups were compared. Correlations between EORTC QLQ-OV28 subscales and total score of BDI and STAI were analyzed. Results: For test-retest reliability, Spearman's rho was 0.84 (p<0.001). The on-treatment group scored statistically significantly higher than the off-treatment group in peripheral neuropathies, attitude to disease and treatment, sexual function and other chemotherapy adverse effect subscales of the questionnaire. Correlations between EORTC QLQ-OV28 subscales and the total scores of BDI and STAI of the groups were statistically significant, except the sexual function subscale. Conclusion: The Turkish translated version of EORTC QLQ-OV28 module is a reliable, consistent, and a valid instrument for assessing the impact of treatment modalities on QoL among Turkish speaking women with ovarian cancer

Development and validity of a questionnaire for coital urinary incontinence: clinical and urodynamic analysis

Introduction and hypothesis To develop and validate a questionnaire (coital incontinence questionnaire-CIQ) for CI and perform clinical and urodynamic analysis of patients with CI. Methods A total of 414 female patients with urinary incontinence undergoing urodynamics were included in this study. All patients were evaluated with a detailed history, questionnaires, physical examination, relevant laboratory tests and urodynamics. Content, construct and convergent validity of the questionnaire were evaluated. Patients were divided into groups: with CI (group 1) and without CI (group 2). Results Overall test-retest reliability coefficients of CIQ were high (r = 0.968, p = 0.01), and the internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's alpha, 0.964). The test-retest scores did not show a statistically significant difference (p = 0.158). Approximately 34% of these women had CI. Body mass index (BMI), parity, daily incontinence episodes, daily pad counts and 1-h pad test results were higher in group 1 than group 2 (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that a daily incontinence episode, BMI, maximum cystometric capacity and PdetQmax were statistically significant factors associated with CI. Urinary incontinence types were different between groups (p < 0.0001). Incontinence with both penetration and orgasm was the most common form of CI (54.4%), and CI severity differed significantly among the forms of CI (p = 0.007). CI negatively interferes with patients' sexual life, their relationship with their partner and quality of life in most patients. Conclusions The CIQ is a reliable, valid and useful tool for assessment of all aspects of CI in women. CI seems to be related to the severity of urinary incontinence. Further studies are needed to clarify this subject

Reliability and validity of the Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction Questionnaire among Turkish children

Background/aim: We developed a Turkish version of the Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction Questionnaire (BBDQ) and evaluated its psychometric properties among Turkish pediatric patients. Materials and methods: The BBDQ was translated into Turkish and then it was back-translated into English. A total of 193 patients were asked to complete the Turkish version of the BBDQ as well as the Dysfunctional Voiding and Incontinence Scoring System (DVISS). In addition, 39 children completed the same questionnaires twice at 2-week intervals for test-retest evaluation. Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the BBDQ was 0.727. Reliability of the test/retest was 0.759 (P < 0.001). Area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic plot was 0.765. There were statistically significant differences in BBDQ scores between the controls and patients (P < 0.001). Analysis demonstrated moderate convergent validity against the DVISS (r: 0.78, r(2): 0.601, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: The Turkish version of the BBDQ is a reliable and valid instrument for Turkish pediatric patients with bladder and bowel dysfunction in clinical and research settings

Estimating high-risk cannabis and opiate use in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir

Introduction and Aims. Information on high-risk drug use in Turkey, particularly at the regional level, is lacking. The present analysis aims at estimating high-risk cannabis use (HRCU) and high-risk opiate use (HROU) in the cities of Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. Design and Methods. Capture-recapture and multiplier methods were applied based on treatment and police data stratified by age and gender in the years 2009 and 2010. Case definitions refer to ICD-10 cannabis (F.12) and opiate (F.11) disorder diagnoses from outpatient and inpatient treatment records and illegal possession of these drugs as recorded by the police. Results. High-risk cannabis use was estimated at 28 500 (8.5 per 1000; 95% confidence interval 7.3-10.3) and 33 400 (11.9 per 1000; 95% confidence interval 10.7-13.5) in Ankara and Izmir, respectively. Using multipliers based on capture-recapture estimates for Izmir, HRCU in Istanbul was estimated up to 166 000 (18.0 per 1000; range: 2.8-18.0). Capture-recapture estimates of HROU resulted in 4800 (1.4 per 1000; 95% confidence interval 0.9-1.9) in Ankara and multipliers based on these gave estimates up to 20 000 (2.2 per 1000; range: 0.9-2.2) in Istanbul. HROU in Izmir was not estimated due to the low absolute numbers of opiate users. Discussion and Conclusions. While HRCU prevalence in both Ankara and Izmir was considerably lower in comparison to an estimate for Berlin, the rate for Istanbul was only slightly lower. Compared with the majority of European cities, HROU in these three Turkish cities may be considered rather low

Population health and status of epidemiology: WHO European Region I

Background This article of the International Epidemiological Association commissioned paper series stocktakes the population health and status of epidemiology in 21 of the 53 countries of the WHO European Region. By United Nations geographical classification, these countries belong to Eastern Europe, Western Asia and South-Central Asia. Methods Published data were used to describe population health indicators and risk factors. Epidemiological training and research was assessed based on author knowledge, information searches and E-mail survey of experts. Bibliometric analyses determined epidemiological publication outputs. Results Between-country differences in life expectancy, amount and profile of disease burden and prevalence of risk factors are marked. Epidemiological training is affected by ongoing structural reforms of educational systems. Training is advanced in Israel and several Eastern European countries. Epidemiological research is mainly university-based in most countries, but predominantly conducted by governmental research institutes in several countries of the former Soviet Union. Funding is generally external and limited, partially due to competition from and prioritization of biomedical research. Multiple relevant professional societies exist, especially in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. Few of the region's 39 epidemiological academic journals have international currency. The number of epidemiological publications per population is highest for Israel and lowest for South-Central Asian countries. Conclusions Epidemiological capacity will continue to be heterogeneous across the region and depend more on countries' individual historical, social, political and economic conditions and contexts than their epidemiologists' successive efforts. National and international research funding, and within- and between-country collaborations should be enhanced, especially for South-Central Asian countries