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Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of the Chinese (Mandarin) Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI-C) by comparing patient-reported and clinician-interviewed outcomes and to raise awareness of the difficulties in using adapted international test measures. Design: All patients were required to first complete the THI-C independently. Then, clinicians conducted a face-to-face interview, explained the exact meaning of each item and re-evaluated every item based on the patient’s descriptions. During this process, patients were encouraged to make comments about each item. Both the self-administered and clinician-interviewed scores were recorded and compared. Study sample: A total of 178 patients who reported tinnitus as a primary complaint were included. Results: Among these patients, 88 (49.4%) completed the questionnaire independently, while 79 (44.4%) patients experienced difficulty in understanding at least one item. The difference between the self-administered and clinician-interviewed scores was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The feasibility of the THI-C is limited unless a revision is made. Follow-up studies are needed for validation when a newly translated self-administered questionnaire is put into use. In addition to semantic equivalence and idiomatic equivalence, experiential equivalence and conceptual equivalence should also be fully considered during the translation process.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest.