Objective voice parameters and self-perceived handicap in dysphonia.
OBJECTIVE
This study focuses on the relation between objective voice quality and the self-perception of a voice handicap.


METHODS
The study group consisted of 86 German-speaking patients (51 women, 35 men) suffering from benign dysphonia. The test persons completed the German version of the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) Questionnaire without prior information about their diagnosis and underwent voice analysis with the Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) being the parameter of this study.


RESULTS
No correlation between V-RQOL and DSI could be found (p>0.05). On the V-RQOL, women scored worse than men, but not at a significant level. Patients with dysphonia of organic origin scored significantly worse than patients with functional dysphonia (p=0.026). On the DSI, men's values were significantly lower than women's (p=0.001). Organic dysphonia caused significantly lower DSI values than functional dysphonia (p=0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
Objective voice quality and the individual perception of voice quality by the patient are independent parameters. Both need to be assessed in clinical practice.
Hummel
Christina
C
Department of Phoniatrics and Pedaudiology, Erlangen University Hospital, Erlangen, Germany. christina.hummel@googlemail.com
Scharf
Manuela
M
Schuetzenberger
Anne
A
Graessel
Elmar
E
Rosanowski
Frank
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014833:Voice Quality; D055815:Young Adult