title: Treatment responsiveness of the Singing Voice Handicap Index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the responsiveness of the previously validated Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI) to treatment related changes in patients' singing voice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty singing patients at a tertiary voice clinic prospectively completed the Voice Handicap Index and SVHI at their initial presentation, pretreatment, and posttreatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients had lower SVHI scores posttherapy compared with the initial SVHI scores (P <or= .001, paired t-test). The change in SVHI scores from initial to posttreatment evaluation was greater than the change from initial to pretreatment evaluation (P < .001, paired t-test). The Spearman correlation of the Voice Handicap Index difference with the SVHI difference before and after treatment was 0.71 (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SVHI measures changes in patients' singing vocal health status resulting from treatment and the change correlates with that of other validated instruments.
authors.affiliation: Duke Voice Center, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. seth.cohen@duke.edu
authors.forename: Seth M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Witsell
authors.forename: Leda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scearce
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vess
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Banka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014833:Voice Quality