ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to translate the Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire–12 (COMQ-12) into Turkish, evaluate the internal consistency of the test and test-retest reliability, and validate the adaptation for further use in Turkish studies.

A total of 50 healthy subjects and 50 patients with chronic otitis media (COM) have completed a translated Turkish version of the COMQ-12. Healthy subjects were asked to complete the test twice. A statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the validity and test-retest reliability of the questionnaire. Patients were divided into three groups. Group 1 were patients with COM; Group 2 represented the first test of the control group; and Group 3 represented the second test of the control group. Cronbach’s test was performed to test internal consistency, and Spearman’s test was performed to evaluate test-retest validity.

The average score was 30.64 for Group 1, 3.60 for Group 2, and 3.66 for Group 3. The COMQ-12 score of the patient group was significantly higher than the score of the control group (p<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve value was calculated as 0.992, which showed a strong diagnostic accuracy, and the cut-off point was defined as 9. A Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.810 was found. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient value (Spearman’s rho) was calculated as 0.920.

The Turkish adaptation of the COMQ-12 is a consistent and valid test with high sensitivity and specificity that can be used in Turkish for further studies instead of the original questionnaire.

Keywords: Otitis media, health surveys, quality of life