Description

The Intermittent Self-Catheterization Questionnaire (ISC-Q-24) is a standardized, disease-specific psychometric instrument developed to assess the quality of life and overall experience of individuals who perform intermittent self-catheterization (ISC). The questionnaire was specifically designed to evaluate how intermittent catheterization influences patients’ daily functioning, independence, psychological well-being, and satisfaction with catheter use. It provides a comprehensive patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) that captures the practical, emotional, and social aspects of living with intermittent self-catheterization.

The ISC-Q-24 consists of 24 self-report items organized into four core dimensions. Ease of Use evaluates the practicality and simplicity of catheterization procedures during everyday life. Convenience assesses the portability, accessibility, and overall practicality of catheter use in different environments. Discreetness measures patients’ perceptions regarding privacy, discretion, and the ability to perform catheterization without embarrassment or unwanted attention. Psychological Well-being evaluates the emotional impact of intermittent self-catheterization, including confidence, autonomy, self-esteem, and adaptation to long-term catheter use.

Participants respond to each statement using a five-point Likert response scale, ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree, allowing the questionnaire to provide a multidimensional assessment of patient experience and treatment satisfaction.

The Intermittent Self-Catheterization Questionnaire (ISC-Q-24) is extensively applied in urology, neurourology, rehabilitation medicine, nursing, clinical psychology, health psychology, quality-of-life research, patient-reported outcome studies, and clinical trials, where it serves as one of the leading instruments for evaluating patient experience with intermittent catheterization.

Data Analysis and Use

Data obtained from the Intermittent Self-Catheterization Questionnaire (ISC-Q-24) are analyzed using comprehensive psychometric and statistical procedures designed to evaluate patients’ quality of life and satisfaction with intermittent self-catheterization. Individual responses are grouped according to the four questionnaire domains (Ease of Use, Convenience, Discreetness, and Psychological Well-being), and mean scores are calculated for each domain together with an overall ISC-Q Quality of Life Score.

Negatively worded items are reverse-scored before analysis to ensure that higher scores consistently represent a more positive catheterization experience. Higher domain and total scores indicate greater treatment satisfaction, better adaptation to intermittent self-catheterization, increased independence, and improved quality of life.

Psychometric evaluation typically includes analyses of internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, together with assessments of test–retest reliability, construct validity, content validity, criterion validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to verify the four-dimensional structure of the instrument. Cross-cultural validation and measurement invariance analyses are frequently performed to ensure reliable application across different healthcare settings and patient populations.

Statistical analyses commonly include descriptive statistics, calculation of means and standard deviations, Pearson or Spearman correlation analyses, multiple regression models, structural equation modeling (SEM), mediation and moderation analyses, longitudinal analyses, and comparative procedures such as independent-samples t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The questionnaire is widely used to compare different catheter types, evaluate new medical devices, monitor clinical outcomes over time, assess treatment effectiveness, and investigate relationships between catheterization experience, quality of life, adherence, urinary symptoms, and psychological well-being.

The findings are particularly valuable for urologists, rehabilitation physicians, specialist nurses, psychologists, researchers, and healthcare professionals seeking to optimize patient-centered care, improve catheter design, evaluate therapeutic interventions, and enhance long-term treatment outcomes.

Objective

The primary objective of the Intermittent Self-Catheterization Questionnaire (ISC-Q-24) is to provide a reliable and valid assessment of patients’ experiences, satisfaction, and quality of life associated with intermittent self-catheterization. The questionnaire enables clinicians and researchers to evaluate the practical, emotional, and psychosocial consequences of catheter use while identifying factors that influence patient adaptation, confidence, independence, and long-term adherence to treatment.

The instrument supports both clinical practice and scientific research by facilitating routine patient monitoring, evaluating new catheter technologies, measuring treatment effectiveness, identifying barriers to successful catheterization, and contributing to evidence-based interventions that improve patient comfort, autonomy, and overall quality of life.

Scoring

The Intermittent Self-Catheterization Questionnaire (ISC-Q-24) consists of 24 self-report items, with participants responding to each statement using a five-point Likert response scale ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. Individual responses are grouped into the four domains of Ease of Use, Convenience, Discreetness, and Psychological Well-being. Negatively worded items are reverse-scored, after which domain scores and an overall ISC-Q Score are calculated according to the standardized scoring procedure.

Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction with intermittent self-catheterization, better ease of use, improved convenience, greater discretion during catheterization, stronger psychological adjustment, increased confidence, and higher overall quality of life. Lower scores suggest greater difficulties with catheter use, reduced treatment satisfaction, lower psychological adaptation, and areas where additional clinical support or alternative catheterization strategies may be beneficial.

Interpretation of questionnaire scores should always be supported by comprehensive psychometric evaluation, including analyses of Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, construct validity, criterion validity, confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance, normative comparisons, and cross-cultural validation, ensuring accurate and reliable assessment across diverse patient populations.

References

Perrouin-Verbe, B., Mathé, J. F., Egon, G., Leriche, A., Maugars, Y., Mottet, N., … & Amarenco, G. (2012). Intermittent Self-Catheterization Quality of Life (ISC-Q) Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a New Tool for Intermittent Catheterization. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 31(1), 86–91.

Chartier-Kastler, E., & Denys, P. (2011). Intermittent Catheterization with Hydrophilic Catheters as a Treatment of Chronic Neurogenic Urinary Retention. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 30(1), 21–31.