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Validation of a quality-of-life scale for women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis

Abstract

Purpose  

To validate a disease-specific scale to measure the impact of symptoms of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC),
a condition that affects up to 6.5% of US women.

Methods  

Participants were drawn from the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology (RICE) Study, a telephone probability survey of 146,231
US households. Women who met RICE BPS/IC symptom criteria (n = 3,397) completed the 6-item RAND Bladder Symptom Impact scale (RICE BSI-6). The RICE BSI-6 was adapted from a scale used
to assess the impact of diabetes on life and sexuality and modified based on expert input on face validity and focus group
work; items specific to diabetic symptoms were eliminated. Validated scales of symptom severity, mental- and physical-health-related
quality of life (QoL), depression, coping, and perceived control were used to assess convergent validity.

Results  

The RICE BSI-6 (α = 0.92) was significantly related to greater symptom severity, worse general mental- and physical-health-related
QoL, more severe depression symptoms, and lower perceived control over life in general and over BPS/IC symptoms (P values < .05). It was also associated with less use of distancing coping (P < .05).

Conclusion  

The RICE BSI-6 shows excellent internal consistency and strong convergent validity. It can be used to examine the effects
of psychosocial and treatment interventions on QoL among women with BPS/IC.

  • Content Type Journal Article
  • Pages 1-6
  • DOI 10.1007/s11136-011-0085-3
  • Authors
    • Laura M. Bogart, Division of General Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 21 Autumn Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA
    • Marika J. Suttorp, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138, USA
    • Marc N. Elliott, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138, USA
    • J. Quentin Clemens, Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Taubman Center 3875, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5330, USA
    • Sandra H. Berry, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138, USA