title: Cutoff point at voice handicap index used to screen voice disorders among persian speakers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to determine the cutoff point at Voice Handicap Index (VHI) as a diagnostic tool in the process of voice disorder assessment. It further surveyed a correlation between diagnosis made by speech specialist and a corresponding opinion reported by client on the existence/nonexistence of any voice disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 160 individuals who completed the VHI questionnaire were assigned to clinical and nonclinical groups. They were asked about the opinions of their voices on a Likert scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A correlation was found between the specialists' diagnosis and clients' opinion on their own voices (r=0.882); however, this was reduced (r=0.717) when a mild voice disorder existed among the nonclinical group. The cutoff point, at which VHI sensitivity (for screening subjects with and without normal voices) reached its maximal value (92%) and its highest level of specificity (95%), was observed to be 14.5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occasional incompatibility between specialists' diagnoses and that of clients' opinion about existence/nonexistence of voice disorders within the individuals should be considered significant. Also, a score of 14.5 can be accepted as the cutoff point at VHI (Persian version) in the voice disorder assessment process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Negin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moradi
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pourshahbaz
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soltani
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Javadipour
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D049489:Stroboscopy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult