Fidedignidade do Teste-reteste na Aplicação do Índice Menopausal de Blatt e Kupperman

Abstract

Objectives : Considering that knowledge of the reliability of an instrument is essential for the correct interpretation of the results of a survey , the purpose of this study is to evaluate the reliability of an index menopausal most used in clinical practice and research in climacteric women the menopausal index of Kupperman and Blatt ( BKMI ) . Methods: The sample consisted of 60 climacteric patients in the Clinic of Gynecology, University Hospital Lauro Wanderley ( HULW ) Federal University of Paraíba ( UFPB ) in Joao Pessoa, PB . The reliability coefficient was analyzed by the test-retest method , applying BKMI on two different occasions with an interval of four weeks without any medical intervention . Results: The sum of the scores obtained by the application of BKMI at first measurement ranged from 2 to 41 , with a median of 18 and an average of 18.8 ( ñ 10.76 ) , while the second measurement , the menopausal index was 20.2 ( 10.51 ñ ) , median 19 , and the minimum and maximum values ​​were respectively 2 to 39 . However , between the two applications was found a Spearman correlation coefficient ( rs ) of 0.68 ( p = 0.001 ) , a rate considered of magnitude below the level considered satisfactory . Conclusions : The test-retest reliability in the application of BKMI shows that , although this instrument demonstrated relative stability of the statistical point of view , the magnitude of the observed does not represent one reliable measurement . Whereas a correlational study is only one type of tracking the quality of a measurement method , we conclude that further research should be conducted to assess not only the reliability but also the validity of BKMI . It is possible that changes in the weights of the items atribuçäo BKMI and the inclusion of symptoms directly related to estrogen deficiency , as manifestations of vaginal atrophy , become the most reliable instrument . ( AU )