Readability of Patient-Reported Outcome Questionnaires For Use With Persons With Tinnitus

Objectives: The readability of 15 tinnitus-focused, patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires was analyzed. Design: Reading grade levels were analyzed using the Flesch Reading Ease, FOG, and FORCAST formulas as computed by a readability calculations software package. Results: The results of this study demonstrate that the majority of questionnaires exceeded the fifth-to sixth-grade reading levels recommended by health literacy experts regardless of the formula applied. Conclusions: In the demand for standardization of tinnitus assessment tools, developers and clinicians should consider readability as another testable construct, as poor readability may affect both validity and reliability.