The Otitis Media-6 questionnaire: psychometric properties with emphasis on factor structure and interpretability

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Quality of Life Measurement
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• The Otitis Media-6 (OM-6) questionnaire is widely used to assess health-related quality of life in children with otitis media.
• Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation are crucial for reliable use in diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate and cross-culturally adapt the OM-6 questionnaire into Danish.
• To evaluate the psychometric properties, including structural validity and interpretability, of the Danish OM-6 in children with otitis media.

Main Methods:

• The OM-6 was translated and adapted following international guidelines.
• A longitudinal study involving 491 children and families assessed measurement properties using the COSMIN taxonomy.
• Evaluated properties included construct validity, structural validity (CFA), internal consistency, reproducibility, responsiveness, and interpretability.

Main Results:

• Structural validity and internal consistency analyses suggested potential issues with parent appraisal of hearing and speech problems.
• The OM-6 demonstrated good test-retest reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness to change.
• Cut-off values for minimal important change were identified as 16.7 and 30.0.

Conclusions:

• The Danish OM-6 is a reliable, valid, responsive, and interpretable tool for measuring quality of life in pediatric otitis media patients.
• Acknowledged potential weaknesses in specific items necessitate careful utilization.
• Results support the continued use of the OM-6 as a 1-factor functional health scale with a global health rating.