Measuring the effects of Meniere's disease: results of the Patient-Oriented Severity Index (MD POSI) version 1.

We describe the development and initial psychometric testing of a new self-report instrument for quantifying the impact of Meniere's disease (MD) on patients' lives: the Meniere's Disease Patient-Oriented Severity Index (MD POSI). Eighty-five volunteers with chronic MD took a self-administered MD POSI. The internal consistency form of reliability was determined by calculating Cronbach's alpha. The relationship between total MD POSI problem severity scores and responses to a global question concerning the degree to which his or her MD had changed the patient's life assessed construct-related validity. The total problem severity score yielded excellent reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .928). No significant age or gender effects were seen. A highly statistically significant association was noted between total problem severity scores and the degree to which the patient's life had been changed by his or her MD (Spearman rank correlation = .526, p < .0001), indicating excellent construct-related validity. The material included in the initial questionnaire provides important information that can be used clinically to quantify the impact of MD on patients' health status. A beta version of the instrument is in the process of validation and determination of its sensitivity to change in health status.