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VOLUME 8 , ISSUE 1 ( January-June, 2018 ) > List of Articles

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Comparison between Voice Handicap Index and Voice Symptom Scale by Subjective Analysis of Voice Disorders

Sushant Joshi, Hemendra Bamaniya, Shiv K Vaishnav, Harbinder S Bhuie

Keywords : Dysphonia, Quality of life, Voice handicap index (VHI), Voice disorders, Voice symptom scale (VoiSS)

Citation Information : Joshi S, Bamaniya H, Vaishnav SK, Bhuie HS. Comparison between Voice Handicap Index and Voice Symptom Scale by Subjective Analysis of Voice Disorders. Int J Phonosurg Laryngol 2018; 8 (1):19-25.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10023-1153

License: CC BY-NC 3.0

Published Online: 01-12-2018

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2018; The Author(s).


Abstract

Objective: Purpose of the present study was to use and compare two patient-derived scales voice handicap index (VHI) and voice symptom scale (VoiSS) for the assessment of the quality of life in patients of voice disorders and to assess their response to treatment. Design: Longitudinal, cohort comparison study. Setting: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Maharana Bhupal Government Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan Participants: Fifty patients with a complaint of change in voice attended ear, nose and throat outpatient department at Maharana Bhupal Government Hospital and Rabindranath Tagore Medical College, Udaipur from 7th July 2010 to 30th June 2011. Materials and methods: Two self-reported patients derived scale VHI and VoiSS were applied to all 50 patients of voice disorders both before as well as after treatment and compared the effect sizes of both the scales. Result: Out of 50 cases, maximum cases included in the study were of malignant growth larynx (30%) followed by vocal nodule (18%). A total of 60% were male, and 40% were female. Maximum cases were of 41 to 60 years of age group (48%). Both the patient-derived scales VHI and VoiSS were found equally useful in assessing the quality of life in patients of voice disorders. Outcomes were similar in both the scales. The mean scores in both the scales before treatment were reduced to almost half after the respective treatment. Conclusion: The result suggested that both the scales (VHI and VoiSS) are equally important as the results were highly correlated and no strong evidence was found to favor either of the scales. These scales are very useful in the assessment of the impact of voice disorders on patient's life and improvement in the quality of life after respective treatment as well as in assessing response to treatment.


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