Validity and Reliability Study of the Turkish Adaptation of Taste and Smell Dysfunction Questionnaire in Hemodialysis Patients

Aim: This study was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the Turkish adaptation of the Taste and Smell Dysfunction Questionnaire (TSDQ) in hemodialysis patients. Materials and methods: This study involves 125 hemodialysis patients. Research data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form for Hemodialysis Patients, the TSDQ, and the Questionnaire for the Assessment of Self-Reported Olfactory Functioning and Olfaction-Related Quality of Life. In addition, the questionnaire's language and content validity, construct validity, and reliability were evaluated. Results: With regard to content validity, a high degree of agreement was determined between expert opinions on the questionnaire items (CGI = 0.96). Exploratory factor analysis revealed that the questionnaire has a two-factor structure explaining 79.33% of the total variance. The confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the model is within acceptable fit index limits with factor loads between 0.692 and 0.964. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients of the scale and its two sub-dimensions are 0.928, 0.968, and 0.782, respectively. Conclusion: The TSDQ is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating taste and smell changes in hemodialysis patients.