Goal attainment scaling in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms: development and pilot testing of the Self-Assessment Goal Achievement (SAGA) questionnaire

Introduction and hypothesis The Self-Assessment Goal Achievement (SAGA) questionnaire was developed to identify treatment goals and assess goal-achievement in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Methods This study consisted of (1) gathering information on goal setting/attainment concepts, (2) goal elicitation (n(-)41 patients with LUTS), (3) cognitive debriefing of draft questionnaire (n(-)11), and (4) pilot testing (n(-)104). Results SAGA consists of baseline (goal-assessment; ranking) and follow-up (goal-achievement) modules. In addition to goals most frequently mentioned, patients can list up to five open goals. Goals most commonly reported as very important in pilot testing included reducing urgency (72%), incontinence (65%), and nocturia (64%). Treatment goals spontaneously reported as very important were reducing incontinence (45%), nocturia (40%), and frequency (26%). Conclusions SAGA may be used to identify treatment goals and assess goal-achievement in patients with LUTS in the clinic and for research (with additional validation). This information may promote patient-physician interaction and help patients establish realistic treatment goals, which may in turn improve treatment adherence and outcomes.