Dutch health-related quality of life measure for chronic otitis media.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic otitis media (COM) describes a variety of symptoms and physical findings that result from prolonged damage to the middle ear by infection and inflammation. The Health-Related Quality of Life measure for COM (COMQ-12) is a new questionnaire for the assessment of COM that evaluates the overall burden of disease from the patient's perspective. The aim of this study was to develop and appraise the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the COMQ-12.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Dutch version of the COMQ-12 was obtained through translation and back-translation. Fifty adult patients with a history of active COM completed the Dutch version of the COMQ-12. The internal consistency of this questionnaire was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient.

RESULTS: The average COMQ-12 score was 22.4 (SD 11.9). The internal consistency of the Dutch version of the COMQ-12 was high, with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.833.

CONCLUSIONS: The Dutch version of the COMQ-12 provides appropriate health-related quality of life outcome measures in patients with a history of COM. This questionnaire is a useful tool to evaluate the overall burden of disease from the patient's perspective.