OBJECTIVE: To develop a simple scoring system for a validated 22-item questionnaire used to assess bowel and urinary dysfunction in women. SETTING: A urogynaecology clinic, a functional bowel clinic, a district general hospital and a general practice. POPULATION: One hundred and one women referred with functional bowel and/or urinary symptoms and 131 asymptomatic controls. METHODS: A user manual has been prepared. Individual responses to questions are categorised into normal and abnormal and odds ratio tests applied to reflect their sensitivity. RESULTS: Scoring methods have been detailed, and appropriate and sensitive cutoff points defined. CONCLUSIONS: The use of this validated questionnaire is now aided by a user manual, facilitating health care evaluation research into the effects of pelvic surgery on pelvic floor symptomatology. A simple scoring system is provided, making the questionnaire a valuable and accessible research tool.
OBJECTIVE: To develop a simple scoring system for a validated 22-item questionnaire used to assess bowel and urinary dysfunction in women. SETTING: A urogynaecology clinic, a functional bowel clinic, a district general hospital and a general practice. POPULATION: One hundred and one women referred with functional bowel and/or urinary symptoms and 131 asymptomatic controls. METHODS: A user manual has been prepared. Individual responses to questions are categorised into normal and abnormal and odds ratio tests applied to reflect their sensitivity. RESULTS: Scoring methods have been detailed, and appropriate and sensitive cutoff points defined. CONCLUSIONS: The use of this validated questionnaire is now aided by a user manual, facilitating health care evaluation research into the effects of pelvic surgery on pelvic floor symptomatology. A simple scoring system is provided, making the questionnaire a valuable and accessible research tool.