Validation and adaptation of the Arabic version of the Tonsil and Adenoid Health Status Instrument

Abstract

Objectives: Validation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Tonsil and Adenoid Health Status study tool, in Arabic while studying its psychometric properties.

Study design: prospective -validation study.

Settings: Multiple tertiary centers.

Patients/and other participants: 63 consecutive patients who underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy operation (pre-operative and 6 months post-operative) and 65 asymptomatic controls.

Intervention/methods: FOLLOWING: Guidelines for the cross-cultural adaptation process, to translate the original English language version into an Arabic language one.

Main outcome measures: We assessed the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the TAHSI (A-TAHSI) its feasibility, reproducibility, internal consistency, reliability, discriminatory validity and responsiveness to change.

Results: The Mann-Whitney test showed a statistically significant difference for the mean score between the patients and the control group denoting good clinical validity. The Cronbach's coefficient value for the A- TAHSI for 63 cases was 0.983, demonstrating good internal consistency. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed a marked improvement in the patients' scores 6 months post-operatively. Spearman's rank and Pearson's correlations were used to correlate the level of resemblance of the mean score of the A-TAHSI, which showed statistically significant results.

Conclusions: The A-TAHSI is a valid instrument for evaluating the subjective effect of tonsillectomy on the health and quality of life and hence is recommended to be used in tonsillectomy research and daily practice.

Level of evidence: 3b.

Keywords: Adaptation; Arabic; Pediatric; Quality of life; Questionnaire; Tonsillectomy; Validation.