Objectives: The readability of 15 tinnitus-focused, patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires was analyzed.
Design: Reading grade levels were analyzed using the Flesch Reading Ease, FOG, and FORCAST formulas as computed by a readability calculations software package.
Results: The results of this study demonstrate that the majority of questionnaires exceeded the fifth- to sixth-grade reading levels recommended by health literacy experts regardless of the formula applied.
Conclusions: In the demand for standardization of tinnitus assessment tools, developers and clinicians should consider readability as another testable construct, as poor readability may affect both validity and reliability.