[Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in inpatient voice rehabilitation medicine].
BACKGROUND
The focus of this study was to determine if the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) is a valid tool for evaluating an inpatient voice rehabilitation program.


METHODS
A total of 39 German-speaking patients were asked to complete a German version of the VHI questionnaire at the beginning and 3 months after attending a voice rehabilitation program on an inpatient basis at the Bad Gögging voice center. The data collected were documented and assessed using Microsoft Excel and MATLAB.


RESULTS
A significant reduction of the VHI summary score was achieved by 10 of 39 patients. An increased number of voice therapy sessions before the program diminished (!) the VHI score 3 months after the program. Work disability because of the dysphonia before the beginning of the voice rehabilitation program showed no significant correlation with the VHI score.


CONCLUSIONS
At present, the VHI cannot be regarded as a reliable measure to evaluate benefit derived from completing a voice rehabilitation program on an inpatient basis. Apparently, numerous prior treatment regimens constitute a negative prognostic criterion for rehabilitation success as measured subjectively by the VHI.
Machulla
R
R
Abteilung für Phoniatrie, Klinikum, Bad Gögging.
Hacki
T
T
Hoppe
U
U
Rosanowski
F
F
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*
HNO. 2004 Aug;52(8):751-6
15042304
J Voice. 1999 Dec;13(4):557-69
10622521
Z Arztl Fortbild Qualitatssich. 2002 Feb;96(2):91-6
11921611
Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2000 Oct;33(5):1143-52
10984776
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2001 Feb;258(2):77-82
11307610
J Voice. 1998 Dec;12(4):540-50
9988041
J Voice. 2000 Dec;14(4):619-23
11130118
BMJ. 1996 Jan 13;312(7023):71-2
8555924
Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci. 2002 Jun;27(3):179-82
12071993
BMJ. 2001 Sep 22;323(7314):658-61
11566828
HNO. 2003 Nov;51(11):921-30
14605713
Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol. 1997 Mar-Apr;47(3-4):76-91
9206797
HNO. 2005 Jan;53(1):78-83
15690219
Qual Health Care. 1998 Dec;7 Suppl:S62-7
10339038
Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci. 2004 Feb;29(1):66-74
14961855
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2002 Feb;259(2):97-9
11954941
Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2004 Jan-Feb;56(1):62-7
14767161
Milbank Mem Fund Q. 1966 Jul;44(3):Suppl:166-206
5338568