What is the Sandvik severity index?

• A. A scale for pelvic floor strength
• B. A pain severity index
• C. A scoring system for incontinence severity based on frequency and amount of leakage
• D. A bladder capacity assessment

Answer: (C)

The Sandvik severity index is a simple way to quantify how bad urinary incontinence is by combining two patient-reported aspects: how often leakage occurs and how much leaks each time. You ask about the frequency of leakage (ranging from never to continuous) and the amount leaked (from drops to a larger amount). Each response receives a numeric score, and adding the two scores gives an overall severity rating. Higher totals mean more severe incontinence, which helps classify severity and monitor changes over time. This approach specifically targets leakage behavior, not pelvic floor strength, pain intensity, or bladder capacity, which are assessed by other measures. For example, frequent leakage with a small amount yields a moderate score, whereas continuous leakage with a large amount yields a high score, reflecting greater impact on the patient.