ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is a chronic disease that affects Health related quality of life (HRQL). In Spain there are no specific questionnaires to assess HRQL in patients suffering from BPH. The objective of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index (BII) questionnaire. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Study participants were men over 49 with confirmed BPH diagnosis and evaluated in three visits. Psychometric properties of the questionnaire were analyzed in terms of validity, reliability and sensitivity to change. RESULTS: A total of 1,719 men with mean (SD) age 68.36 were evaluated and classified according to the BPH severity. Both longitudinal and construct validity (r>0.6) of the BII questionnaire were moderate-high. Internal consistency (alpha=0.91), test-retest reliability (CCI=0.8) and sensitivity to change (effect size=0.6) showed good results. The HRQL improved significantly during the monitoring period (p<0.01). DISCUSSION: There were no available specific HRQL questionnaires for Spanish population with BPH until now. The Spanish version of the BII questionnaire fulfils with the psychometric properties that are necessary to evaluate HRQL in patients with BPH; furthermore, it has been confirm the considerable impact of this disease in the quality of life of this patients.
