Homogeneity Among the Korean International Prostate Symptom Score Questionnaires Used in Real Practice

PURPOSE We analyzed whether any problems existed in terms of the homogeneity of the Korean International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire used in real practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between July 2012 and August 2012, 48 Korean IPSS questionnaires used in real practice were collected. All the items on the questionnaire, including the quality of life (QoL) questions, were compared and we then determined the homogeneity of each question in comparison with the originally validated Korean version of the IPSS from 1996. RESULTS Only 5 of 48 sources (10.4%) of the Korean IPSS totally corresponded with the original Korean version of the IPSS questionnaire. The consistency rate with the originally validated version was generally low for the answer choice items for each question, ranging from 16.6% for "less than half the time" to 35.4% for "almost always," with the exception of the item "not at all" (100.0%). The consistency rate was 60.4% for question 3 (intermittency) and 18.8% for question 6 (straining). No homogeneity was found in any of the QoL-related questions. The average consistency rate with the originally validated version was 42.2% and ranged from 22.9% for "unhappy" to the highest rate of 95.8% for "mostly satisfied." CONCLUSIONS Compared with the originally validated Korean version of the IPSS, various Korean IPSS questionnaires used in real practice had significant problems in terms of homogeneity for both the questions and the answer choice items. Efforts are needed to ensure the uniform use of the validated Korean version of the IPSS questionnaire.