Abstract
Objective: 1) To describe the development of the Disablement Index for Eustachian tube dysfunction (DIETD-12), a preliminary and a final 12-item survey (DIETD-12) designed for the evaluation of the self-perceived impact on disease-specific Eustachian tube diseases. 2) To establish and validate the DIETD-12 to evaluate patients with Eustachian tube diseases.
Method: A 12-item tool was developed and administered, and the results were analyzed in a prospective, controlled, review board–approved study. Forty-eight ETD patients and 50 patients with no ET pathology participated. The survey measuring ET-related health in physical, functional, and emotional domains was analyzed. Responses were compared to verify results and validation.
Results: Fifty healthy patients (control group) and 48 patients with ETD completed the DIETD-12 preoperatively and postoperatively. Patients improved an average of 41.2% postoperatively and analyses revealed a significant difference between preoperative and postoperative scores across all domains (P < .001). Data showed a statistical change in DIETD-12 scores postoperatively. Cronsbach alpha and Spearman correlation exhibited excellent test-retest reliability and were obtained for the survey score (R = 0.87) with little random error on test-retest on construct and validity of the measuring tool. The median survey score was 2.9 (96% confidence interval, 2.8-3.1) of a maximum 8.0, with higher values indicating poorer quality of life.
Conclusion: The DIETD-12 has been rigorously validated. It is a valid measuring tool for patients with ETD, exhibiting good construct and content validity and proven to be strong when test-retest stability was analyzed.The brevity and ease of administration make DIETD-12 ideal for use in outcomes studies, clinical trials, and routine clinical care.
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