English translation and validation of the Zurich chronic middle ear inventory (ZCMEI‐21‐E) assessing quality of life in chronic otitis media: A prospective international multicentre study

Objectives To translate and validate the Zurich Chronic Middle Ear Inventory (ZCMEI‐21) for the English language in order to provide an English instrument to assess health‐related quality of life in chronic otitis media (COM). Design Pilot translation study including cognitive debriefings, prospective multicentre cross‐sectional psychometric validation study. Setting Four tertiary referral centres in three different English‐speaking countries (UK, USA and Australia). Participants Adult patients suffering from COM. Main outcome measures The English translation of the ZCMEI‐21 (ZCMEI‐21‐E) and the five‐level version of the EQ‐5D questionnaire. The EQ‐5D, which constitutes a generic measure of health‐related quality of life, consists of a descriptive system score and a visual analogue scale. Statistical outcomes included single‐item descriptive statistics, internal consistency (Cronbach's α) as an indicator of reliability, as well as construct validity. Results A total of 124 patients suffering from COM were included. The mean age was 50.1 years (SD 16.9 years), and 72 (58.1%) were males. The Cronbach's α of the ZCMEI‐21‐E was 0.91, suggesting an excellent internal consistency. The Spearman's correlation coefficient of the ZCMEI‐21‐E total score was 0.55 (P