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Hungarian adaptation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory: reliability and validity

  • Otology
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Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the Hungarian version of the original Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). In the study design the original THI (THI-US) was translated into Hungarian by three independent investigators. The final Hungarian version (THI-HUN) was constructed on the basis of these Hungarian interpretations and then administered to 72 patients suffering from chronic tinnitus. Construct validity was assessed using short version of Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS4 version), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (loudness, annoyance and pitch of tinnitus), pure tone audiometry and tinnitometry. The 72 participants were 43 women and 29 men. Their mean age was 49.86 years with a mean tinnitus duration of 4.16 years. In the results THI-HUN and its subscales showed good internal consistency reliabilities (α = 0.95–0.74), with significant correlation between THI-HUN total score and subscales and the BDI, PSS4 and VAS annoyance. There was a high or moderate correlation between THI-HUN total score and VAS loudness, tinnitus duration, hearing loss and subjective perception of tinnitus loudness. The VAS pitch of tinnitus, the subjective perception of tinnitus pitch, age, gender and level of education did not show any correlation with THI-HUN total score. The test–retest reliability was high (r = 0.97). We conclude that a valid and reliable THI-HUN questionnaire was constructed.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Semmelweis University, Szigony Street 36, Budapest, 1083, Hungary

    Beata Bencsik & László Tamás

  2. Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Üllői Road 26, Budapest, 1085, Hungary

    Krisztina Trimmel

  3. Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad Square 4, Budapest, 1089, Hungary

    Adrienne Stauder

Authors
  1. Beata Bencsik
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  2. László Tamás
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  3. Krisztina Trimmel
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  4. Adrienne Stauder
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Beata Bencsik.

Appendix

Appendix

The THI-HUN is available on the following website: http://semmelweis.hu/fulorrgegeszet/kutatasi-teruletek/tinnitus-handicap-inventory-kerdoiv.

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Bencsik, B., Tamás, L., Trimmel, K. et al. Hungarian adaptation of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory: reliability and validity. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 272, 2243–2248 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-3138-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-3138-8

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