Comparative validity and reliability of the WeChat-based electronic and paper-and-pencil versions of the PISQ-12 for collecting participant-reported data in Chinese

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess the consistency between the WeChat-based Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire short form (PISQ-12) in Chinese and the paper version and to determine the test–retest reliability of the WeChat questionnaire. METHODS: A total of 120 women aged between 24 and 69 years were recruited from the outpatient clinic at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and randomly assigned to two groups. All participants completed the WeChat and paper questionnaires twice. Group A completed the paper questionnaire before the WeChat version; Group B completed the WeChat questionnaire before the paper version. Two weeks later, all participants completed the questionnaires in the opposite order. Then, the reliability and validity of the two versions were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients, intraclass correlation coefficients, and Bland-Altman graphs. RESULTS: No significant difference in completion time was found between the two versions of the Chinese PISQ-12 (P = 0.67). Half of the participants (60/120) preferred the WeChat questionnaire, 15% (18/120) preferred the paper form (P < 0.01), and 35% had no preference (42/120). The response time was positively correlated with age (P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with the degree of education (P < 0.01). A Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.92 and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.94 indicated strong consistency between the two versions. The WeChat form exhibited strong test–retest reliability (Pearson correlation coefficient, 0.86; intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.86). The Bland-Altman plots supported these results. CONCLUSIONS: The WeChat questionnaire was preferred over the paper version in a Chinese sample and had excellent consistency with the paper version and high test–retest reliability for collecting data on private topics.