ABSTRACT

VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY TESTS ON INDONESIAN-ADAPTED VERSION OF

DYSPHAGIA HANDICAP INDEX (DHI) QUESTIONNAIRE TO ASSESS
OROPHARYNGEAL DYSPHAGIA PATIENTS QUALITY OF LIFE AT DEPARTMENT
OF OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY DEPARTMENT, MOHAMMAD HOESIN GENERAL
HOSPITAL, PALEMBANG

Background: Dysphagia is a condition of swallowing difficulty. It is not an illness in itself,

but rather a symptom of an underlying disease. Complaints of dysphagia will subsequently
decrease patients’ quality of life. Assessing quality of life in oropharyngeal dysphagia
patients requires a valid and reliable tool, one of which is Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI).
Purpose: This research aims to know the validity and reliability of Indonesian-adapted
version of DHI questionnaire as a tool to assess oropharyngeal dysphagia patients’ quality of
life at Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mohammad Hoesin General Hospital Palembang.
Method: This study used cross-sectional design and involved 36 oropharyngeal dysphagia
patients as subjects. Transcultural validation according to WHO were provided to subjects
prior to questionnaire filling. Data were analyzed using Spearman correlation coefficient and
Cronbach-α as validity and reliability test respectively.
Results: Indonesian-adapted version of DHI questionnaire according to rules of transcultural
validation is valid. Alpha score greater than 0,7 is calculated for reliability test, indicating
that Indonesian-adapted version of DHI questionnaire is reliable to assess oropharyngeal
dysphagia patients’ quality of life in Palembang.
Conclusion: Indonesian-adpated version of DHI questionnaire is valid and reliable as a tool
to assess oropharyngeal dysphagia patients’ quality of life in Palembang.

Keywords: Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI), Oropharyngeal dysphagia, Quality of life