Validation of the Turkish version of the eight-item actionable bladder symptom screening tool in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Aims This study aimed to translate the eight-item Actionable Bladder Symptom Screening Tool (ABSST) and determine its psychometric properties in Turkish speaking subjects. Methods The study was conducted at the multiple sclerosis (MS) outpatient clinic of the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University. First, the ABSST was translated into Turkish by an expert panel. We employed the back translation method for linguistic validation. Cronbach's alpha and test-retest analysis were performed for reliability analysis. The overactive bladder-v8 (OAB-v8) questionnaire was also administered for concurrent validation, and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and multiple sclerosis quality of life scale-54 (MSQL-54) were used to evaluate construct validity. Results One hundred and five patients (84 females; mean age, 39.5 +/- 11.6 years; mean EDSS score, 3.2 +/- 1.8) participated in the study. Mean duration of MS was 9.7 +/- 8.3 years, and most (n = 96; 91.5%) had relapsing-remitting MS. The mean ABSST score was 9.7 +/- 5.8 (range, 0-21). Highest scores were obtained from urgency and frequency, and the lowest from psychosocial effects of lower urinary tract (LUT) symptoms. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.856, and item-total score correlations ranged between 0.485 and 0.845. Correlations of ABSST scores with OAB-v8, EDSS, and MSQL-54 scales were significant (P < .001). According to the questionnaire, 38.1% (n = 40) of the patients needed a referral to a urologist or gynecologist for their LUT symptoms. Conclusions The Turkish version of the ABSST is a valid and reliable screening tool that can be used to identify LUT symptoms in an MS clinic.