title: Voice symptoms and voice-related quality of life in college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of voice disorders in college students and their effect on the students as shown by quality-of-life indicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was completed by 545 college students in 2012. The survey included 10 questions from the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL), selected voice symptoms, and quality-of-life indicators of functional health and well-being based on the Short Form 36-item Health Survey (SF-36).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine percent of the college students (mean age, 22.7 years) reported a history of a voice disorder. Hoarseness was the most prevalent voice symptom, but was not correlated with V-RQOL scores. A wobbly or shaky voice, throat dryness, vocal fatigue, and vocal effort explained a significant amount of variance on the social-emotional and physical domains of the V-RQOL index (p < 0.05). Voice symptoms limited emotional and physical functioning as indicated by SF-36 scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Voice disorders significantly influence psychosocial and physical functioning in college students. These findings have important implications for voice-care services in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, Brigham Young University, 229 A Richards Building, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
authors.forename: Ray M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanner
authors.forename: Joseph G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: McCord
authors.forename: Melissa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Beardsley
authors.forename: Brittanie A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Steele
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D014833:Voice Quality; D055815:Young Adult