ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: As the largest group of professional voice users, teachers are more likely to face voice disorders because of their specific job conditions. This study aimed to compare the quality of life in female teachers with and without voice complaints. STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of samples of primary school female teachers with (n = 60) and without (n = 60) voice disorders. All teachers were serving in Tehran, Iran. Professional background information was obtained through interviews, and quality of life was measured using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire. A comparison was made between the study groups to analyze the data. RESULTS: The mean age of teachers was 44 (standard deviation = 3.95) years. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding their professional background. However, significant differences were observed between the two groups in all subscales of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, including physical and social functioning, role limitations because of either physical or emotional problems, bodily pain, general health, vitality, and mental health (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Findings of this study point to the effect of voice complaint on quality of life and showed that teachers with voice complaints suffer from poor health-related quality of life. Therefore, both voice-specific and unspecific assessment methods are required for clinical diagnostics.
Subject(s)
Occupational Diseases/psychology , Occupational Health , Quality of Life , School Teachers/psychology , Speech Acoustics , Voice Disorders/psychology , Voice Quality , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Emotions , Female , Health Status , Humans , Interviews as Topic , Iran , Mental Health , Middle Aged , Occupational Diseases/diagnosis , Occupational Diseases/etiology , Occupational Diseases/physiopathology , Social Behavior , Surveys and Questionnaires , Voice Disorders/diagnosis , Voice Disorders/etiology , Voice Disorders/physiopathologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the total score and subscale scores of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in speakers with and without hearing loss. A further aim was to determine if a correlation exists between severities of hearing loss with total scores and VHI subscale scores. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional, descriptive analytical study, 100 participants, divided in 2 groups of participants with and without hearing loss, were studied. Background information was gathered by interview, and VHI questionnaires were filled in by all participants. RESULTS: For all variables, including mean total score and VHI subscale scores, there was a considerable difference in speakers with and without hearing loss (p < 0.05). The correlation between severity of hearing loss with total score and VHI subscale scores was significant. CONCLUSION: Speakers with hearing loss were found to have higher mean VHI scores than speakers with normal hearing. This indicates a high voice handicap related to voice in speakers with hearing loss. In addition, increased severity of hearing loss leads to more severe voice handicap. This finding emphasizes the need for a multilateral assessment and treatment of voice disorders in speakers with hearing loss.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to adapt and determine reliability, validity, and responsiveness of voice-related quality of life (V-RQOL) for Persian. A total of 300 patients with voice disorders participated in the study. Also, 116 people without any voice disorders volunteered to participate in the study as a control group. All participants filled in the Persian version of V-RQOL. The reliability, validity, and responsiveness were studied. Results demonstrated that the discrimination coefficient is significant for all items. The V-RQOL measure showed a strong internal consistency (Cronbach alpha coefficient = 0.88-0.91) and a good test-retest reliability (r = 0.93-0.95). Pre- and post-treatment results showed a significant responsiveness (functioning, 0.000; social-emotional, 0.001; and total, 0.000). Effect size range of 1.26-1.59 and the standardized response mean range of 1.07-1.41 were obtained for V-RQOL. It seems that the Persian version of V-RQOL is valid, reliable, and responsive to change, and this questionnaire can be used for completing voice evaluation for patients with dysphonia.
