Evaluation of a Standardized Questionnaire for Initial Assessment of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in Premenopausal Women

Objective: To assess the effect of a standardized questionnaire for premenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) on clinical information collection and duration of consultation. Methods: We conducted a before and after study involving 100 premenopausal women undergoing consultation for AUB. During stage 1, 50 consultations were recorded on a consultation sheet with no specific template. During stage 2, 50 women completed a 26-item auto-administered standardized questionnaire before the consultation, which was then reviewed with the consultant and added to the medical record. The duration of consultation was assessed in subgroups of 27 women in each stage. Two independent evaluators assessed the quality and completeness of data collected in the medical records using a score sheet developed by experts. Outcomes from both stages were compared using the t test. Results: The descriptive characteristics were similar in both groups. The mean global scores of the quality and completeness of data collected improved significantly between stages 1 and 2, from 67% +/- 12% to 95% +/- 5% (P < 0.0001), as did medical background scores (54% +/- 29% vs. 85% +/- 13%; P < 0.0001) and AUB-related symptoms scores (69% +/- 13% vs. 97% +/- 5%; P < 0.0001). A mean reduction in duration of consultation of nearly 4 minutes was observed (24.6 +/- 4.3 min vs. 20.7 +/- 4.8 min; P < 0.0001). Conclusion: The AUB-specific standardized questionnaire improves quality and completeness of data collected in medical records and reduces duration of consultation.