Development and validation of the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale.
OBJECTIVE
The study goal was to validate a disease-specific health status instrument for use in patients with nasal obstruction.Design, settings, and patients The study consisted of a prospective instrument validation conducted at 4 academic medical centers with 32 adults with nasal septal deformity.


METHODS
Prospective instrument validation occurred in 2 stages. Stage 1 was the development of a preliminary (alpha-version) instrument of potential items. Stage 2 was a test of the alpha-version for item performance, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability; construct, discriminant, criterion validity, and responsiveness; and creation of the final instrument.


RESULTS
Items with poor performance were eliminated from the alpha-version instrument. In testing the final instrument, test-retest reliability was adequate at 0.702; internal consistency reliability was also adequate at 0.785. Validity was confirmed using correlation and comparison analysis, and response sensitivity was excellent.


CONCLUSIONS
The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation Scale is a valid, reliable, and responsive instrument that is brief and easy to complete and has potential use for outcomes studies in adults with nasal obstruction.
Bobby R Alford Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Communicative Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Michael G
MG
Stewart
David L
DL
Witsell
Timothy L
TL
Smith
Edward M
EM
Weaver
Bevan
B
Yueh
Maureen T
MT
Hannley
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009300:Nasal Septum; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies