title: Assessment of Grade of Dysphonia and Correlation With Quality of Life Protocol.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main objective of this study is to check the correlation between vocal self-assessment and results of the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) protocol, and whether there is a correlation between perceptual vocal assessment made by voice therapists and the results from the V-RQOL protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 245 subjects with vocal complaints. This was a prospective analytical clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vocal perceptual assessment of each subject with dysphonia was made by three voice therapists, followed by self-assessment made by the subjects themselves, and the application of the V-RQOL protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results have shown poor level of agreement between vocal assessment made by the voice therapists and self-assessment made by the subjects. The statistical analysis indicated that the results of V-RQOL protocol showed significant correlation with the vocal assessment made by the voice therapists and the self-assessment by the subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The agreement between the assessments was low and variable; age, gender, professional voice use, and clinical laryngoscopic diagnosis did not influence the agreement level. Protocol V-RQOL is sensitive to vocal assessment made by the voice therapists and self-assessment made by the patient.
authors.affiliation: Otorrinolaringologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua: Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Barão Geraldo Cidade Universitária, 13083-887 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: analuspina@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Rua: Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Barão Geraldo Cidade Universitária, 13083-887 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Agrício Nubiato
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Crespo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013067:Speech Perception; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D014833:Voice Quality; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: V-RQOL; dysphonia; quality of life; vocal assessment; voice