Validity and Test-Retest Reliability of the Dutch Version of the Chronic Otitis Media Benefit Inventory

• Published in: The journal of international advanced otology 2019-04, Vol.15 (1), p.34-37
• Main Authors: Greve, Glynnis De, Dinther, Joost van, Maryn, Youri, Vanspauwen, Robby, Zarowski, Andrzej, Offeciers, Erwin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; Adult; Analysis; Care and treatment; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear - surgery; Chronic Disease; Ear diseases; Family medical history; Female; Humans; Intervention; Male; Medical research; Middle Aged; Myringoplasty - methods; Netherlands; Original; Otitis media; Otitis Media - diagnosis; Otitis Media - psychology; Otitis Media - surgery; Otology; Patients; Preoperative Period; Quality of Life; Questionnaires; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Standard deviation; Surgery; Surveys and Questionnaires; Systematic review; Translations; Tympanoplasty - methods; Validity
• ISSN: 1308-7649; 2148-3817
• DOI: 10.5152/iao.2019.6339

We aimed to test the validity and test-retest reliability of the Dutch translation of the Chronic Otitis Media Benefit Inventory (COMBI) questionnaire. In total, 30 chronic otitis media (COM) patients with a previous ear surgery completed the questionnaire; 30 patients with a negative medical history of COM complaints and with previous non-otologic surgery as the control group completed the questionnaire. For estimating the test-retest reliability, patients of the COM group completed the questionnaire twice; the scores were compared to those of the control group to test the validity. The overall COMBI score ranged as 32-60 in the patient test group, 32-60 in the patient retest group, and 35-40 in the control group. A mean (standard deviation) score of 43.87 (6.81) in the patient test group, 44.4 (6.83) in the patient retest group, and 36.7 (1.29) in the control group was noted. Post-intervention, the COM patients had a significantly higher absolute COMBI score compared to the control group. The diagnostic accuracy was investigated, and a cut-off score of 38.5 was found to have a high sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing a significant positive change from an insignificant change after the intervention. The average-measures intra-class correlation coefficient for absolute agreement (ICCAA) was 0.985 (95% confidence interval: 0.969-0.993), indicating an excellent test-retest reliability in the control group. The Dutch version of the COMBI questionnaire has a good validity, diagnostic accuracy, and test-retest reliability.