Assessing multiple dimensions of urgency sensation: The University of South Australia Urinary Sensation Assessment (USA(2) )

To develop and assess structure, test-retest reliability, and discriminative validity of a self-report questionnaire (University of South Australia Urinary Sensation Assessment: USA(2) ) to assess multiple dimensions of urgency sensation.

The USA(2) was designed and tested over two prospective, observational studies (2013-2014). Participants were English speaking Australians aged 50 or more with and without overactive bladder (OAB; determined by OAB awareness tool), recruited via health and recreation centers. In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis determined USA(2) structure and subscales. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis reassessed structure; Mann-Whitney U-tests determined discriminative validity (OAB vs. non-OAB for subscale and total scores) with Cohen's d effect sizes. Thirty-three individuals completed the USA(2) twice; intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Wilcoxon signed rank tests assessed test-retest reliability.

Questionnaires were returned by 189 eligible participants in Study 1 and 211 in Study 2. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three subscales: "urgency," "affective," "fullness." Confirmatory factor analysis supported these subscales. Subscale and total scores were significantly different between groups with and without OAB (P < 0.001). Cohen's d effect sizes (95%CI) were total score 1.8 (0.5-3.1), "urgency" subscale 1.8 (1.3-2.3), "affective" 1.7 (0.95-2.4), and "fullness" 0.75 (0.42-1.09). Total and subscales scores demonstrated test-retest reliability; ICCs (95%CIs) of 0.95 (0.9-0.98), 0.96 (0.92-0.98), 0.94 (0.88-0.97), and 0.78 (0.56-0.89).

The USA(2) assesses multiple dimensions of urgency sensation, is reliable over a 2-week period, and discriminates between older adults with and without OAB. Further validation is required in conditions other than overactive bladder. Neurourol. Urodynam. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neurourology and urodynamics. 2016 Mar 21 [Epub ahead of print]

Rebekah Das, Jonathan Buckley, Marie Williams

School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia., Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia., Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.