RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) has become a well accepted method for specifically assessing the quality of life among dizzy patients and in evaluating the results of different types of therapy, especially of vestibular rehabilitation programs. OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of a translated Hebrew version of the DHI (HDHI) on a cohort of patients attending a tertiary dizziness clinic. METHODS: A double translation method was applied on the original DHI. Consecutive patients with symptoms of dizziness lasting at least six months were included. HDHI questionnaires were completed by patients on three occasions: while waiting to be examined, after the examination and one week later. Internal consistency reliability of each questionnaire and test- retest reliability between the questionnaires were analyzed on the total score and for each of the emotional, functional and physical subgroups of the questionnaires. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients completed all three questionnaires. Internal consistency reliability of the three subgroups of questions: physical, emotional and functional in each of the three questionnaires were all high (Cronbach's Alpha coefficient 0.83-0.96). The test- retest reliability, the correlation between the total DHI scores of the first and second questionnaire (same day) showed a correlation coefficient of 0.96, and between the first and third questionnaire (7 days apart) was 0.94, with P values of < 0.01. The correlation coefficient of the subgroups ranged from 0.93 to 0.97. CONCLUSION: The HDHI is a reliable test of dizzy patients' symptoms and may be applied in patient care and for reporting on their follow-up.