Comprehensive Assessment and Validation of an Integrated Premenopausal Symptom Questionnaire

Abstract

Pre-menopause indicates a period before menopause where a woman undergoes a transitional period where several symptoms come into existence due to the fluctuating ovarian hormones. The symptoms are quite complex with the involvement of different systems, making it difficult for health providers to diagnose and advise management aptly. The study aims to develop an integrated pre-menopausal questionnaire to assess premenopausal symptoms. The integrated pre-menopausal questionnaire was developed by including confounding factors and symptoms available in Ayurvedic literature, contemporary textbooks, and clinical observations by Prasoothi Tantra and Stree roga (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) experts. Premenopausal symptoms and confounding factors were incorporated into the questionnaire in the form of 36 questions under five sections and were assigned a score from 0 to 4 based on the strength of literature evidence and expert opinion. The questionnaire was subjected to validation i.e. face validation, content validation; and construct validation followed by factor analysis and reliability statistics. This tool is believed to be an important landmark in diagnosing pre-menopausal symptoms in pre-menopausal women so that an early intervention can be implemented. The questionnaire, finalized after expert committee review and recommendations, was also validated for its sensitivity and specificity to detect pre-menopausal symptoms in Palakkad District through a pilot study.