Overactive bladder symptom score - translation and linguistic validation in Bengali.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Linguistic Validation
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• The Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) is a crucial tool for assessing overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms.
• A validated Bengali version of the OABSS is needed to facilitate accurate diagnosis and management in Bengali-speaking populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and linguistically validate a Bengali translation of the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS).
• To assess the comprehensibility and cultural appropriateness of the Bengali OABSS among native speakers.

Main Methods:

• The study involved forward and backward translation of the OABSS into Bengali.
• An online survey was conducted with Bengali-speaking participants to gather feedback on the translated questionnaire.
• Cognitive debriefing was performed to refine the questionnaire, followed by the creation of a final online version.

Main Results:

• The Bengali OABSS underwent rigorous translation and validation, with initial discrepancies in questions 1-4 requiring multiple corrections.
• An online survey of 59 Bengali speakers (43 male, 16 female) across India indicated good overall understanding.
• The overall prevalence of OAB was found to be 15.5%, with specific rates for males (6.9%) and females (8.6%).

Conclusions:

• The developed Bengali version of the OABSS is linguistically validated and demonstrates good comprehension.
• The questionnaire is suitable for use in Bengali-speaking populations, although further studies are recommended to assess its reproducibility and accuracy.