Developing a new urology questionnaire from the patient’s perspective

Abstract In this qualitative study a new urology questionnaire to assess Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) in men was incrementally developed. The patient’s perspective was always paramount. Thirty-seven male participants aged 40 and over with different levels of health literacy completed several versions of the new questionnaire. Participants were asked to think aloud while completing the task. Participants’ utterances and comments in a follow-up interview were used to create improved versions of the questionnaire. The final version was the Dutch Reduced Illustrated Prostate Symptom Score (DRIPSS), a questionnaire consisting of pictorial scales. Participants’ feedback suggests that the DRIPSS will largely eliminate patients’ completion problems.