ABSTRACT
Background: The Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) is a multiparametric tool for objectively measuring the general acoustic characteristics of voice. The AVQI uses both sustained vowel and continuous speech in its analysis, and therefore, a validation is required for different languages. In the present study, validation was performed in the Finnish-speaking population.Methods: The study included 200 native Finnish-speaking participants of whom 115 were voice patients attending a phoniatric clinic, and the remaining 85 subjects participated in the study as healthy controls. Voice samples were recorded, and the auditory evaluation was performed by five speech therapists. An ordinal four-point interval scale was used to evaluate the degree of voice abnormality (Grade, G). Several statistical analyses were performed to test the validity and the diagnostic accuracy of the AVQI in the Finnish-speaking population.Results: The inter-rater reliability of four of the five raters was high enough to allow the use of Gmean in the validation. There was a statistically significant correlation between the AVQI scores and the evaluation of overall perceptual voice quality (r = 0.74).Conclusions: The results confirmed the good discriminatory power of the AVQI in differentiating between normal and abnormal voice qualities. The AVQI 02.02 threshold value for dysphonia was 2.87 in the Finnish-speaking population.
Subject(s)
Acoustics , Dysphonia/diagnosis , Speech Acoustics , Speech Production Measurement , Voice Quality , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Case-Control Studies , Dysphonia/physiopathology , Female , Finland , Humans , Judgment , Male , Middle Aged , Observer Variation , Predictive Value of Tests , Reproducibility of Results , Speech Perception , Young AdultABSTRACT
AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity, reliability and responsiveness of the Finnish version of the Voice Activity and Participation Profile (VAPP), a self-assessment questionnaire to measure psychosocial limitations caused by voice disorders. METHODS: The study was conducted in Tampere University Hospital in 2004 and 2005. Voice patients (n = 142) with diverse chronic voice pathologies received 3-5 sessions of voice therapy. Controls were known individuals with healthy voices (n = 127). The VAPP form was completed before attending hospital, at the first visit to hospital and before and after voice therapy. RESULTS: When comparing patients with healthy controls significant differences were found in score means. After brief voice therapy, the VAPP values improved moderately as 60% of patients had effect size of 0.27 or over. Physicians' advice did not improve VAPP scores. The VAPP question profile was regarded as consistent. Cronbach's alpha for the question profile was 0.958 and for the subsections 0.865. CONCLUSIONS: VAPP appeared to be valid and responsive to the intervention. In test-retest reliability, although intraclass correlation was high (0.905), there was a trend for the second answers to be better than the first. Some proposals are given to improve the practicality of the VAPP form.
Subject(s)
Quality of Life , Surveys and Questionnaires , Voice Disorders/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Communication , Diagnostic Self Evaluation , Emotions , Female , Finland , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Male , Middle Aged , Reproducibility of Results , Severity of Illness Index , Speech Therapy , Voice Disorders/therapy , Young AdultABSTRACT
The Voice Activity and Participation Profile (VAPP) is a self-assessment questionnaire describing the limitation of activities and participation of individuals with dysphonia. In this study, the validity and reliability of the Finnish translation of the VAPP was evaluated using 43 outpatients with various functional and organic voice disorders. A control group was formed consisting of 43 subjects matched according to age, gender, and profession, with normal voices. The VAPP was sensitive for voice disorders and items in the questionnaire had high internal consistency. The VAPP had a strong correlation with the Voice Handicap Index. The results showed that the questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument to measure voice-related quality of life. It also showed that limitations in activity and participation levels should be examined separately.
Subject(s)
Cross-Cultural Comparison , Surveys and Questionnaires , Voice Disorders/psychology , Finland , Humans , Language , Psychometrics/statistics & numerical data , Reference Values , Reproducibility of Results , Voice Disorders/diagnosisABSTRACT
Swallowing and intraoral sensation outcome were investigated prospectively after microvascular free-flap reconstruction. Forty-one patients with a large oral or oropharyngeal carcinoma underwent free-flap surgery usually combined with radiotherapy. The patients completed modified barium swallow, self-rating of swallowing, and 2-point moving discrimination preoperatively and at four time points during the 12-month follow-up period, and a plain chest X-ray one year after operation. Swallowing was impaired with respect to an objective and subjective measure after therapy. Rates for nonsilent and silent aspiration increased during the follow-up. Intraoral sensation deteriorated. Swallowing outcome was not related to sensation. One year after surgery, 86% of the patients ate regular masticated or soft food. Microvascular transfers offer a reasonable option for oral reconstruction. This study does not support the need for sensate flaps. Swallowing problems should be routinely sought and patients rehabilitated during a sufficiently long follow-up with videofluorography regardless of the patient's perception of swallowing.
