Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Moroccan version of the incontinence quality of life questionnaire (I-QoL) in urinary incontinence patients.

OBJECTIVE Because of the importance and prevalence of incontinence in women, there is growing interest in the development and use of well-designed quality of life questionnaires. The objective of this study is to adapt and validate, the I-QoL, a quality of life questionnaire, in Moroccan dialect, and to assess its psychometric properties in people suffering from urinary incontinence STUDY DESIGN: One hundred patients (77% female) with a symptom of urinary incontinence participated in the study and filled out the Moroccan version of the questionnaire. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α), the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS The results showed that the Moroccan version of the I-QOL has very good psychometric properties. The overall I-QoL summary score and subscales showed high internal consistency (alpha ranging from 0.94 to 0.99). Inter-rater reliability was substantial for the three subscales and the total score. The ICC, assessing reproducibility at two weeks, ranged from 0.89 to 0.99, demonstrating the stability of the scores. The I-QOL was able to discriminate between different levels of self- perceived severity. Significant differences in I-QOL scores (p < 0.001) were observed when comparing I-QOL scores by the number of incontinence-related medical visits made by patients during the past year. CONCLUSION The Moroccan version of the I-QOL is a valid and reliable tool to determine the influence of urinary incontinence on health-related quality of life in Moroccan persons.