Validity and Reliability of the French Short Version of the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders-Negative Statements (sQOD-NS)

Objective: To develop a French Short Version of the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders-Negative Statements (Fr-sQOD) to assess the quality of life impairments of patients with olfactory dysfunction (OD). Methods: Patients with OD and controls were enrolled from 2 academic centers. Individuals completed the Fr-sQOD, an OD visual analog scale severity, and the French version of the sinonasal outcome tool-22 (SNOT-22). Cronbach alpha was used to measure the internal consistency of Fr-sQOD. The reliability and the external validity of Fr-sQOD were assessed through a test-retest approach and by correlating Fr-sQOD with SNOT-22 scores, respectively. The external validity was assessed by correlation analysis between Fr-sQOD and the result of an assessment of the severity of OD on a visual analog scale. Results: Eighty patients completed the evaluations. The internal consistency was adequate (Cronbach alpha .96), and the test-retest reliability was high in the entire cohort (r(s) = 0.877, P < .001). The correlation between Fr-sQOD total scores and the severity of OD was moderate but significant (r(s) = -0.431; P = .001) supporting an acceptable external validity. Patients with OD had a significantly higher score of Fr-sQOD than healthy individuals (P < .001), indicating a high internal validity. Conclusion: The Fr-sQOD is a reliable and valid self-administered tool in the evaluation of the impact of OD on quality of life of French-speaking patients.

Automated summary

The study developed a French Short Version of the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders, Fr-sQOD, to assess the quality of life impairments of patients with olfactory dysfunction. The Fr-sQOD showed high internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and acceptable external validity, making it a reliable and valid tool for evaluating the impact of OD on the quality of life of French-speaking patients.