Developing and validating a Chinese instrument to measure lower urinary tract symptoms among employed women in Taiwan

Abstract

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), including urinary incontinence, negatively affect women's quality of life. Employed women are particularly prone to experiencing the negative aspects of LUTS due to their irregular access to toilet facilities. In Taiwan, about 70% of women 25-44 years of age are employed, yet little research on LUTS in the workplace has been conducted. In this article, the development of a Chinese instrument for estimating prevalence of LUTS and identifying factors related to LUTS among employed women is discussed. After instrument-generation and translations, content validity of the instrument was assessed and found to be satisfactory. Following a pilot test, psychometric testing of the instrument (which included test-retest reliability and internal consistency) was conducted. Test-retest reliability for the majority of the items and internal consistency for the construct LUTS were adequate. Based on initial psychometric testing, the authors suggest the instrument is appropriate for use with women in Taiwan. Additional testing is recommended before being used with other populations.