Brazilian Portuguese Language version of the "Tinnitus Handicap Inventory": validity and reproducibility.
Tinnitus can greatly impact an individual's life quality and it is very difficult to quantify.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the reproducibility and validity of a Brazilian Portuguese version of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), a self-applicable questionnaire which assesses tinnitus impact on patient's life quality.


METHODS
This was a prospective transversal study. The questionnaire was translated into Portuguese and cross-culturally adapted to the Brazilian environment according to internationally recommended methods. The Portuguese version of the THI was answered by 180 patients who complained of tinnitus. Reproducibility was assessed using the Cronbach's Alpha Calculation; and the validity was assessed by means of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient.


RESULTS
The Portuguese version of the THI showed high internal validity, comparable to the original version. A high correlation was observed between the THI and the BDI.


CONCLUSIONS
The Brazilian Portuguese version of THI is a valid and reproducible tool used to quantify how tinnitus impacts the life quality of those Brazilian patients who complain of this symptom.
Schmidt
Letícia Petersen
LP
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS. letischmidt@hotmail.com
Teixeira
Vanessa Niemiec
VN
Dall'Igna
Celso
C
Dallagnol
Daniel
D
Smith
Mariana Magnus
MM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000523:psychology*; D014177:Translations