Validity and Reliability of the Turkish St. Mark's Incontinence Score

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Gastroenterology
• Clinical Measurement

Background:

• The St. Mark's Incontinence Score (SMIS) is a standard tool for evaluating anal incontinence.
• Assessing the psychometric properties of translated medical instruments is crucial for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish translation of the St. Mark's Incontinence Score (SMIS).
• To establish a culturally adapted and psychometrically sound instrument for assessing fecal incontinence in Türkiye.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional validation study involving 60 anal incontinence patients.
• Translation and back-translation of the SMIS into Turkish following international guidelines.
• Content and construct validity assessed via expert review and factor analysis; reliability via Cronbach's alpha and test-retest correlation.

Main Results:

• The Turkish SMIS (T-SMIS) demonstrated content validity, confirming its suitability for measuring anal incontinence.
• Internal consistency was adequate (Cronbach's α = 0.76).
• High test-retest reliability was observed (intraclass correlation coefficient: r= 0.72-0.87).

Conclusions:

• The T-SMIS is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing fecal incontinence severity in Turkish-speaking patients.
• This validated Turkish version enables standardized clinical evaluation and enhances international comparability.
• The study supports the global applicability of the SMIS across diverse cultural contexts.