The Effects of Pencil-and-Paper and Web-Based Questionnaires onClinical Research: Using UDI-6, IIQ-7, and PISQ-12 as Examples

Web-based surveys are frequently applied in clinical research. In this study, hospital patients were requested to complete Web-based and pencil-and-paper versions Questionnaire. The t test and intraclass correlation coefficient were used to compare the Web-based and pencil-and-paper questionnaire results. The survey results of 81 participants showed that no significant score differences existed between the Web-based and pencil-and-paper questionnaires. The 81 participants did not show any preference for either Web-based or pencil-and-paper surveys, and the statistical re- sults showed no significant difference between the two types of survey. Therefore, this study suggested using Web-based questionnaires instead of pencil-and-paper questionnaires, because using Web questionnaires can decrease doctor consul- tation time, reduce labor costs, provide patients with remote self-assessment services prior to a clinic visit, and adequately collect questionnaires to enhance research capability. Furthermore, this type of questionnaire survey enables patients to answer personal questions honestly. Keywords: Incontinence impact questionnaire-7 (IIQ-7), pelvic organ prolapse/urinary incontinence sexual function question- naire-12 (PISQ-12), pencil-and-paper questionnaire, urinary distress inventory-6 (UDI-6), urinary incontinence, web-based questionnaire.