Further psychometric property development of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire and development of a modified version, MENQOL-Intervention questionnaire

OBJECTIVES: To develop the 1996 MENQOL questionnaire further with advice regarding summary score computation, missing-data management, readability, recall period and assessment of the vasomotor domain reliability and construct validity. To develop a modified version, the MENQOL-Intervention questionnaire, for use where certain treatment side effects could negatively impact the quality of life. METHODS: MENQOL-Intervention modifications involved the addition of three items to the physical domain. For both questionnaires, psychometric property assessment was embedded in two randomized controlled trials of menopause interventions. Test-retest reliability and Cronbach's alpha were computed for all domains as was construct validity of the vasomotor domain for both questionnaires. RESULTS: The vasomotor intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.73 for the MENQOL-Intervention over 1 week and 0.78 for the MENQOL over 1 month. The altered physical domain of the MENQOL-Intervention questionnaire continued to show strong test-retest reliability and Cronbach's alpha consistent with the MENQOL. The MENQOL-Intervention demonstrated excellent face validity with high construct validity for the vasomotor domain of 0.78-0.80. For both instruments, comparisons of the vasomotor domains to hot flash scores, although statistically significant, were only moderate at 0.56 and 0.49. CONCLUSIONS: Both the MENQOL and the MENQOL-Intervention questionnaires show strong psychometric properties. We recommend using the MENQOL-Intervention questionnaire where intervention side effects might negatively impact a woman's quality of life. For both questionnaires, a summary score can be calculated.