Validation of the French version of the Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire 15 Tools which help nurse for assessing the effect of perceived multiple sclerosis symptoms on sexual activity and satisfaction.
Sandrine Lefebvre, Marion Houot, Daniel Delgadillo and 7 others
PMID 36054641WHAT IT FOUND
This French 15-item self-report can help nurses ask patients with MS about sexual problems.
In 99 patients, 71.7% reported sexual dysfunction, and answers were consistent across items.
Key findings
01Among 99 patients who completed all items, 71.7% scored at least one item at 4 or 5.
02The French version matched the intended questionnaire structure and had high consistency among answers.
03Self-reported disability categories affected questionnaire scores, while age, sex, MS type, education and EDSS did not.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Patients were recruited only from hospital outpatient neurology services, and women and primary progressive MS were under-represented compared with the overall French MS population. Only 10 patients returned for retest, so stability was checked in a small subgroup. The study was cross-sectional, so it did not test whether scores change after treatment. There was no similar questionnaire available to check concurrent validity. The translation process started from an invalid Canadian French version and did not follow exact recommended translation steps. The text says 99 patients completed all items, while Table 1 lists N = 98. Scores were skewed and individual items had floor effects.
Declared interests
Funding came from ICM and DGSO PHRIP Neurosex. The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the good questionnaire scores as proof that nurse-led sexual health assessment improves care. The study tested a self-report questionnaire in patients from one hospital, not a nurse intervention.