Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12): psychometric validation of the Iranian version

Sexual health is an important aspect of women's health. Women with urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) have more complaints about sexual dysfunctions than do women without. In Iran, there is no questionnaire to assess sexual function in women who with UI; thus, this study aimed to translate the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12) and provide evidence for psychometric properties. This cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2012 to October 2012 in a sample of women who attended an urogynecology clinic. Participants were divided into two groups (incontinent with or without POP and normal). All types of UI were assessed. The PISQ-12 was translated into Iranian based on international standards, and its reliability was assessed using test/retest reliability and internal consistency. In addition, its validity was evaluated using face and content validity, comparison with known groups, and convergent validity. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Mean participant age was 47.52 years. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.84 for PISQ-12 and 0.70-0.79 for all domains. Pearson's correlation coefficient between PISQ-12 and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was 0.73. Exploratory factor analysis loaded three factors; confirmatory factor analysis confirmed factor structures. This study showed that the Iranian version of PISQ-12 was a short, useful, valid, reliable, and condition-specific instrument to assess sexual function in women with UI/POP.