VHI-10 and SVHI-10 Differences in Singers' Self-perception of Dysphonia Severity.
OBJECTIVE
Previous investigations of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-10 in clinical practice noted that specific information relevant to singers was not forthcoming. Consequently, a second index, the Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI) as well as its shortened counterpart the SVHI-10, was developed. The purpose of this study was to directly compare the differences in scores between the VHI-10 and the SVHI-10 in a group of 50 singers.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review of 50 singers (26 women, 24 men) was performed between June 2014 and November 2014 at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York. Subjects completed both the VHI-10 and the SVHI-10 at their initial evaluation. The results from the VHI-10 and the SVHI-10 were then compared using paired t test and two-way analysis of variance.


RESULTS
The SVHI-10 scores from the performers were significantly higher than those of the VHI-10 (P < 0.0001). The mean score on the VHI-10 was 12.1 compared with 20.4 on the SVHI-10 (maximum score for each questionnaire is 40). There were no significant gender differences when comparing the VHI-10 and the SVHI-10 on the overall scores or for individual items. The analysis of variance also found no significant gender difference (P = 0.865) and confirmed a significant difference between VHI-10 and SVHI-10 (P = 0.0003).


CONCLUSIONS
Whereas singers may have general complaints about their voice, they also have specific complaints that relate only to their singing voice. Finding a significant difference between the scores of the VHI-10 and the SVHI-10 suggests the importance of assessing the singer's perception of voice severity using a tool that focuses on the singing voice.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California. Electronic address: erenk@llu.edu.
Elizabeth
E
Renk
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.
Lucian
L
Sulica
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York.
Chad
C
Grossman
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York.
Jenny
J
Georges
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California.
Thomas
T
Murry
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D063346:Singing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014833:Voice Quality; D055815:Young Adult
Dysphonia; Singers; Voice; Voice handicap index