Internal structure and classification of pelvic floor dysfunction distress by PFDI-20 total score

Area of Science:

• Pelvic floor dysfunction research
• Health outcomes measurement
• Psychometric validation

Background:

• Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) significantly impacts women's quality of life.
• Standardized tools are needed to quantify the distress associated with PFD symptoms.
• The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) is used to assess PFD symptom severity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the internal structure (validity and consistency) of the PFDI-20.
• To propose a classification system for PFD symptom distress based on PFDI-20 scores.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study with 237 Brazilian women (aged ≥18).
• Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (Parallel Analysis) used to assess structural validity.
• Internal consistency evaluated using Cronbach's alpha; Partial Credit Model used for score classification.

Main Results:

• The PFDI-20 demonstrated a one-dimensional structure, explaining 43.74% of the variance (α=0.929).
• The one-dimensional model showed excellent fit (CFI=0.987, RMSEA=0.022).
• A classification for PFDI-20 scores was proposed: absence of symptoms (0), mild (1-15), moderate (16-34), and severe (35-40) distress.

Conclusions:

• The PFDI-20 exhibits a robust one-dimensional structure.
• A validated classification for PFD symptom distress (mild, moderate, severe) is established.
• This classification aids clinicians and researchers in understanding and analyzing PFD symptom severity.