Polish version of the COMQ-12 questionnaire, a new validated tool for the assessment of the quality of life in patients with chronic otitis media

Abstract

Introduction: The COMQ-12 questionnaire is a tool to assess the quality of life in patients with chronic otitis media in many countries. The questionnaire consists of 12 questions, including seven questions related to the severity of symptoms, two questions related to the impact of the disease on the subject’s lifestyle and work, two questions related to the impact on the demand for health care services, and a question of general nature. Each question is rated on a scale from 0 to 5. Aim: To present the validation process and the final version of the Polish version of the COMQ-12 questionnaire. Material and methods: The Polish version of the COMQ-12 questionnaire was prepared based on independent translations of the English version as developed by 3 physicians (2 specialists in otolaryngology and 1 physician in the course of acquiring specialization in otolaryngology). The questionnaire was validated in a study including 60 participants: 30 patients with chronic otitis media and 30 volunteers without a history of middle ear diseases or hearing disorders. Each participant was asked to complete the COMQ-12 questionnaire twice at an interval of 4 weeks apart. The internal consistency, reliability, and construct validity of the questionnaire were analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients, Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient, and the Mann-Whitney test, respectively. Results: High internal consistency, reliability, and construct validity of the Polish version of the COMQ-12 questionnaire were shown in the course of statistical analysis. The overall internal consistency was 0.95 and 0.97 as assessed by Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients, respectively. Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient was above 0.89 for each question. Statistically significant differences in the COMQ-12 total scores were obtained between patients with chronic otitis media and the control group. Conclusions: The Polish version of the COMQ-12 questionnaire can be a valuable clinical tool for the assessment of the quality of life in patients suffering from chronic otitis media.