Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Voice Handicap Index in the Quebec French Population (VHI-QF).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) is a widely recognized, self-administered questionnaire, designed to evaluate patients' perception of voice-related disability. It takes into consideration the physical, functional and emotional impacts of dysphonia. The VHI has been translated and validated in many languages, including European French. The purpose of our study is to translate, adapt and validate a new version of the VHI in Quebec French. METHODS: The original VHI was translated into Quebec French (QF) by forward and backward translations by four professional translators, including a speech-language pathologist. The content validity of the resulting VHI-QF was examined in focus groups with six patients and seven speech-language pathologists. Another sample of 154 patients with voice disorders and 150 healthy controls allowed evaluation of the new questionnaire's convergent and discriminant validity, and internal consistency. Satisfaction toward the questionnaire was also evaluated for all patients, as well Test-retest reliability and responsiveness for a sub-sample. RESULTS: The VHI-QF showed a moderate correlation with dysphonia severity level, indicating adequate convergent validity. Both total and subscale scores also exhibited adequate ability to discriminate between patients and controls (discriminant validity), high internal consistency, and good test-retest reliability. The analysis of pre- and post-treatment VHI-QF scores revealed adequate responsiveness to voice treatment. Patients were overall satisfied with the questionnaire. CONCLUSION: The VHI-QF is a valid, reliable and clinically useful self-reported tool to evaluate the severity and change of voice disorders in Quebec French population. Therefore this questionnaire can be used in clinical and research contexts.

Single-sided deaf tactical unit officer treated with cochlear implantation.

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the efficacy of cochlear implantation for management of a severe single-sided deaf tactical unit officer. Showing that hearing improvement provided by cochlear implantation was sufficient for him to return to work as a police tactical officer. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 43 years-old man working as a tactical unit officer suffered from a work-related severe single-sided hearing loss. He tried unsuccessfully many types of hearing aids including a contralateral routing of sound (CROS) system and a bone conduction hearing aid with a headband. He was finally treated with cochlear implantation which provided enough localization and hearing abilities for a complete return to work as a tactical unit officer. DISCUSSION: This case report demonstrates that cochlear implantation was very successful for a patient suffering from severe single-sided hearing loss. The current literature demonstrates benefits from cochlear implant over CROS and osseointegrated devices in unilateral hearing loss. Nevertheless, literature does not report any case of patient suffering from single-sided deafness that received a cochlear implant and a complete bilateral hearing rehabilitation that allowed him to return to work as a police tactical officer. CONCLUSION: Cochlear implantation was the only effective treatment to provide our patient enough localization and hearing abilities for a complete return to work as a police tactical officer. As no consensus has been established about selection criteria for cochlear implantation in single-sided deafness, we suggest that the patient's occupation should be considered when reviewing his candidacy for cochlear implantation.