INITIAL VALIDATION OF A BOWEL SYMPTOM QUESTIONNAIRE AND MEASUREMENT OF CHRONIC GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS IN AUSTRALIANS

Background: Chronic gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are believed to be common in the general population, but Australian data are lacking. A v alid instrument is required to assess GI symptoms adequately and deter mine their prevalence in the community. Aims: To test the feasibility, reliability and concurrent validity of a self-report Bowel Symptom Qu estionnaire (BSQ) as a measure of GI symptoms, and obtain preliminary data on the prevalence of symptoms in an Australian population-based s ample. Methods: Outpatients (n = 63), volunteers (n = 163) and a rando m sample (n = 99) of the Penrith population, Sydney, completed the BSQ . Feasibility was evaluated in 264 subjects. Reliability was measured by a test retest procedure (n = 43), while concurrent validity was doc umented by comparing self-report data with an independent interview (n = 20). The response rate in the population mail survey was 68%. Preva lence data on bowel symptoms in the community sample (n = 99) were age and gender standardised to the Australian population. Results: The ma jority of subjects found the BSQ easy to complete (97%) and understand (97%); 90% completed the questionnaire in half an hour or less. Relia bility (median kappa 0.70, interquartile range 0.20) and concurrent va lidity (median kappa 0.79, interquartile range 0.26) of GI symptoms we re both very acceptable. The internal consistency of all GI symptom sc ales was good (Cronbach's Alpha range 0.51-0.74). The prevalence of th e irritable bowel syndrome (defined as abdominal pain and disturbed de faecation based on two or more of the Manning criteria) was 17.2% (95% CI: 10-25%). Conclusions: The BSQ was well accepted and easy to under stand; it provided reliable and valid data on GI symptoms and should p rove useful in large scale epidemiological studies in Australia.