[Applicability of Voice Handicap Index to the evaluation of voice therapy effectiveness in teachers].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of Voice Handicap Index (VHI) to the evaluation of effectiveness of functional voice disorders treatment in teachers.


METHODS
The subjects were 45 female teachers with functional dysphonia who evaluated their voice problems according to the subjective VHI scale before and after phoniatric management. Group I (29 patients) were subjected to vocal training, whereas group II (16 patients) received only voice hygiene instructions.


RESULTS
The results demonstrated that differences in the mean VHI score before and after phoniatric treatment were significantly higher in group 1 than in group II (p < 0.05). Moreover, the improvement observed in group I applied to each of VHI subscales: functional, emotional and physical, while in group II it applied only to physical subscale.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirmed that the VHI test can be a useful method for monitoring phoniatric management efficacy in teacher's dysphonia.
Niebudek-Bogusz
Ewa
E
Klinika Audiologii i Foniatrii, Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. J. Nofera, Łódź. ebogusz@imp.lodz.pl
Kuzańska
Anna
A
Błoch
Piotr
P
Domańska
Maja
M
Woźnicka
Ewelina
E
Politański
Piotr
P
Sliwińska-Kowalska
Mariola
M
D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000473:pathology; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014834:Voice Training