CULTURAL ADAPTATION OF SNIFFIN’ STICKS TEST FOR A MALAYSIAN POPULATION
https://doi.org/10.22452/jummec.vol24no2.9
- Author:
Siow Ping Loong
1
;
Eugene Wong
1
;
Revadi Govindaraju
1
;
Ahmad Nordin Afandi
1
;
Yves Brand
2
;
Zulkiflee Abu Bakar
1
;
Prepageran Narayanan
1
Author Information
1. Otorhinolaryngology Department, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
2. Chur, Switzerland
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Sniffin’ Sticks Test;
Quantitative Olfactory Test;
Cultural Adaptation
- From:Journal of University of Malaya Medical Centre
2021;24(2):65-71
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Introduction:Sniffin’ Stick test is a quantitative olfactory test first introduced in the 1990s and has since been used in several countries after cultural-based modifications.
Objective:To develop a culturally adapted Sniffin’ Stick test suitable for a Malaysian population.
Methods:The study was done in 3 phases. The first phase involved a questionnaire rating the familiarity of 70 odors based on a Likert scale. Sixteen items were then selected for the second phase where subjects were tested on the identification of the 16 odors. Odors recognized by less than 75% of the subjects or their distractors were replaced. These steps were repeated until all 16 odors were recognized by more than 75% of the subjects. In the final phase, the mean Odor Identification (OI) scores utilizing the newly selected 16 odors were collected among healthy individuals.
Results:A total of 417 subjects participated in the study. In the first-phase, 5 odors from the original Sniffin’ Stick Test which were unfamiliar were replaced for the phase 2 of the study. In the second-phase, modifications were performed 3 times requiring change of 41 distractors and an additional odor. Finally, using the modified Sniffin Stick test version-4, preliminary results of the mean odor identification scoring for the age groups 16-35,36-55 and more than 55 years of age were obtained which showed age-related variations.
Conclusion:Our study revealed cultural modifications to the original Sniffin’ Stick Test are required to validate its use in a Malaysian population.
- Full text:202508130957476612276397.pdf
