Psychometric Evaluation of the Chinese Version of the Vulvovaginal Symptom Questionnaire in Women With Breast Cancer.

Aims: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Vulvovaginal Symptoms Questionnaire for assessing vulvovaginal symptoms and symptom-related influences in women with breast cancer.

Design: A methodological study.

Methods: Women with breast cancer (n = 202) were recruited from the outpatient department of a hospital. Data were collected between July 2020 and October 2021. Psychometric properties, including internal consistency, test-retest reliability and construct validity, were tested after the translation of the original English-language instrument. The construct validity was examined by testing the hypothesised relationships between the Chinese version of the Vulvovaginal Symptoms Questionnaire with validated instruments associated with quality of life and sexual function and by Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

Results: The internal consistency and test-retest reliability for the Chinese version of the Vulvovaginal Symptoms Questionnaire's total scale and four subscales were satisfactory. The construct validity was confirmed by significant correlations between scores on the Chinese version of the Vulvovaginal Symptoms Questionnaire with the Chinese version of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Cancer 30 and Quality of Life Questionnaire-Breast 23 and the Chinese version of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire 12. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis verification results showed that the traditional Chinese-language questionnaire's three- and four-factor models had acceptable model fit indices.

Conclusion: We obtained the Chinese version of the Vulvovaginal Symptoms Questionnaire's preliminary and satisfactory psychometric properties. It can help worldwide healthcare professionals adequately assess vulvovaginal symptoms and their influences experienced by Chinese-speaking women with breast cancer.

Implications for practice: The Chinese version of the Vulvovaginal Symptoms Questionnaire can help healthcare professionals and researchers concurrently identify vulvovaginal symptoms and related influences, leading to timely and appropriate management. Well-designed and accessible healthcare services on vulvovaginal and sexual health after breast cancer diagnosis are essential for both healthcare professionals and this population.

Reporting method: We adhered to the STROBE checklist of cross-sectional studies.

Patients or public contribution: No patient or public engagement..