Korean Version of the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score Questionnaire: Translation and Linguistic Validation

PurposeThe overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS) consists of 4 questions regarding OAB symptoms. The aim of this study was to develop Korean version of the OABSS from the original Japanese version, with subsequent linguistic validation.MethodsBetween February and May 2008, the translation and linguistic validation process was performed as follows: a forward translation, reconciliation, backward translation, cognitive debriefing, and final proofreading.ResultsA forward translation from the original version of the OABSS to the Korean language was carried out by 2 native Korean speakers, who were also fluent in Japanese. Reconciliation was made after review of both translations by a panel consisting of both translators and one of the authors. Another bilingual translator who had never seen the original version of the OABSS carried out a translation of the reconciled version back into Japanese, and the original and backward-translated versions were subsequently compared. After discussion of all discrepancies between both versions by the panel, a second Korean version was produced. During cognitive debriefing, 5 outpatients with OAB reported that each question of the Korean version was significant and appropriate for their symptoms. However, 2 patients said that some parts of the questions or instructions were not clear or were not easy to understand. According to the cognitive debriefing, some words and phrases were revised into more understandable expressions.ConclusionsA Korean version of the OABSS was developed and linguistic validation was performed. Further studies are needed to assess the reproducibility and validity of the questionnaire in Korean populations

The Impact of Overactive Bladder on Health-Related Quality of Life, Sexual Life and Psychological Health in Korea

Purpose We aimed to estimate the prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) in Korea, to assess the variation in prevalence by sex and age, and to measure the impact of OAB on quality of life. Methods A population-based, cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted between April and June 2010 with a questionnaire regarding the prevalence of OAB, demographics, and the impact of OAB on quality of life. A geographically stratified random sample of men and women aged ≥30 years was selected. Results The overall prevalence of OAB was 22.9% (male, 19%; female, 26.8%). Of a total of 458 participants with OAB, 37.6% and 19.9% reported moderate or severe impact on their daily life and sexual life (5.6% and 3.5%, respectively, in participants without OAB). Anxiety and depression were reported by 22.7% and 39.3% of participants with OAB, respectively (9.7% and 22.8%, respectively, in participants without OAB). Only 19.7% of participants with OAB had consulted a doctor for their voiding symptoms, but 50.7% of respondents with OAB were willing to visit a hospital for the management of their OAB symptoms. Conclusions This study confirmed that OAB symptoms are highly prevalent in Korea, and many sufferers appear to have actively sought medical help. OAB has severe effects on daily and sexual life as well as psychological health

A High-Yield Fabrication Process for Silicon Neural Probes

There is a great need for silicon microelectrodes that can simultaneously monitor the activity of many neurons in the brain. However, one of the existing processes for fabricating silicon microelectrodes—reactive- ion etching in combination with anisotropic KOH etching—breaks down at the wet-etching step for device release. Here we describe amodified wet-etching sidewall-protection technique for the high-yield fabrication of well-defined silicon probe structures, using a Teflon® shield and low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) silicon nitride. In the proposed method, a micro-tab holds each individual probe to the central scaffold, allowing uniform anisotropicKOHetching. Using this approach, we obtained a well-defined probe structure without device loss during the wet-etching process. This simple method yielded more accurate fabrication and an improved mechanical profile.This work was supported in part by the Korean Science and Foundation (KOSEF) through the Nano-Bioelectronics and Systems Research Center, Seoul National Universit

Linguistic Validation of the Intermittent Self-catheterization Questionnaire for Patients With Neurogenic Bladder Who Perform Intermittent Catheterization for Voiding Dysfunction

Purpose In recent years, the importance of patient satisfaction and quality of life—referred to as patient-related outcomes— has been emphasized, in addition to the evaluation of symptoms and severity through questionnaires. However, the questionnaires that can be applied to Korean patients with neurogenic bladder are limited. Therefore, the current study linguistically validated the Intermittent Self-Catheterization Questionnaire (ISC-Q) as an instrument to evaluate the quality of life of Korean patients with neurogenic bladder who regularly perform clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Methods The validation process included permission for translation, forward translations, reconciliation, backward translation, cognitive debriefing, and proofreading. Two bilingual translators independently translated the original version of the ISC-Q into Korean and then combined the initial translations. A third bilingual translator performed a backward translation of the reconciled version into English. Five Korean-speaking patients with neurogenic bladder carried out the cognitive debriefing. Results During the forward translation process, the 24 questions of the ISC-Q were translated into 2 Korean versions. The terms used in each version were adjusted from the original version to use more conceptually equivalent expressions in Korean. During the backward translation process, several changes were involving substitutions of meaning. In the cognitive debriefing process, 5 patients were asked to complete the questionnaire. All patients agreed that the questionnaire explained their situation well. Conclusions This study presents a successful linguistic validation of the Korean version of the ISC-Q, which could be a useful tool for evaluating treatment satisfaction in patients with neurogenic bladder performing CIC regularly

Characteristics of Hearing Loss Among Older Adults in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study: A Community-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study With an 8-Year Follow-up

Objectives. This study investigated the 8-year incidence and progression of hearing loss (HL) and its types and examined the risk factors for changes in HL. Methods. This longitudinal cohort study analyzed data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES), an ongoing, prospective, community-based cohort study that has been conducted since 2001. Altogether, 1,890 residents of urban areas in Korea aged 45–75 years at time 1 (baseline) were included in the study. Pure-tone audiometry (PTA) testing was performed twice, at time 1 (2008–2009) and time 2 (2015–2018, follow-up), 8 years apart. HL grades were defined as seven mutually exclusive categories following the revised World Health Organization classification. Incidence was defined as PTA >20 dB HL in the better ear at time 2 among those without HL at time 1. Progression was defined as the progressive deterioration of HL among those with HL at time 1. The three types of HL constituted sensorineural (SNHL), conductive, and mixed HL. Results. At time 1, 36.40% of patients were diagnosed with HL, which increased to 51.64% at time 2. The 8-year incidence of HL was 27.20%, and progressive deterioration of HL occurred in 23.11% of those with HL. SNHL was the most common type of HL, and its prevalence markedly increased at time 2. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the incidence of HL was significantly associated with increasing age, male sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07–2.81), and diabetes mellitus (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.04–1.96). Alcohol consumption was a risk factor for HL deterioration among those with HL at time 1. Conclusion. The prevalence and deterioration of HL were extremely high among older adults, and age was the strongest risk factor for these changes. Therefore, timely screening and intervention are necessary to prevent HL and delay its deterioration among older adults