[Validation of the Otitis Media-6 Questionnaire for European Portuguese].

INTRODUCTION: Otitis media is one of the most prevalent childhood diseases. The impact of otitis media on quality of life of Portuguese children is unknown, because of the unavailability of a tool validated in European Portuguese to assess this consequence of otitis media. The Otitis Media-6 questionnaire (Otitis Media-6) is the most frequently used tool to assess health-related quality of life in children with otitis media. This study aims to create a version in the Portuguese language and culturally adapted to Portugal of the otitis media-6 questionnaire.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Otitis Media-6 questionnaire was translated and culturally adapted to the Portuguese language and population. Then, to assess the instrument psychometric properties, it was applied to a sample of Portuguese children with chronic otitis media with effusion or recurrent acute otitis media.

RESULTS: The Portuguese version of Otitis Media-6 questionnaire demonstrated the following psychometric properties: construct validity for baseline (rs = 0.98) and change scores (rs = 0.97), internal consistency (α = 0.780), test-retest reliability (rs = 0.89) and responsiveness to clinical change (t(59) = 10.104).

DISCUSSION: The simplicity and brevity of application of the instrument make it ideal for use in research and in clinical practice, enabling a more objective assessment of the extension of the otitis media impact in children quality of life and a more targeted therapeutic decision.

CONCLUSION: The Portuguese version of the Otitis Media-6 questionnaire is a valid, reliable and sensitive instrument to evaluate the health-related quality of life in Portuguese children with otitis media.