The (head and neck) carcinologic handicap index: validation of a modular type questionnaire and its ability to prioritise patients' needs.

Purpose: To validate the upgraded version of the CHI with two new dimensions ("limitation of neck and/or shoulder movements", "changes in physical appearance"). To assess the relationship between CHI scores and patient self-reported management needs.

Methods: 71 patients treated for cancer with ENT complaints and 36 controls were included. Construct validity, internal consistency, criterion validity (using visual analogue scales by dimension), clinical validity (comparison of patient and control scores) and temporal reliability (scores of a second CHI completed after a few days) were studied. A hierarchical ranking of the dimensions according to perceived difficulties was compared to the CHI scores.

Results: Correlations were moderate to high between items of the same dimension (0.38 < r<0.73), between scores on the two new dimensions and on the VAS (r > 0.68), and between scores on the two CHI completions (r > 0.67). Cronbach's alphas are greater than 0.72. Patients and controls had significantly different scores in the two new dimensions (Mann-Whitney: p < 0.001). Sensitivity, specificity and AUC calculated between CHI scores and hierarchy ranking determined patient priority cut-off scores for eight of the eleven dimensions.

Conclusion: The new CHI dimensions have good psychometric qualities. Threshold scores by dimension allow the perceived management needs to be determined.