Author(s): Celina Ann Tobias; Erasmo Gonzalo D.V. Llanes; Charlotte Chiong
To determine the validity and reliability of a Filipino translation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), a self-report measure of tinnitus handicap. Design: Psychometric cross-sectional validation Study sample: Seventy- -five patients, aged 18-82 with tinnitus recruited consecutively at the Ear Unit of the Philippine General Hospital after receiving assessment at the Ear, Nose, and Throat-Out Patient Department. Results: The THI-PH showed robust internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.92), only slightly lower than the original version (THI-US Cronbach’s alpha = 0.93), and its Danish (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.93), Portuguese (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.94), and German (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.93) translations. Two of the subscales, the Functional and Emotional subscales, also showed good internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86 and Cronbach’s alpha = 0.82, respectively). The Catastrophic subscale showed poorer internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.63) due to the shorter number of items in that scale. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that the THI-PH is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to quantify the effects of tinnitus on the quality of life of Filipino tinnitus patients