فهرست مطالب samira aghadoost

One of the most voice-related complaints in teachers is vocal tract discomfort (VTD) which can increase the voice handicap index (VHI) to different degrees. In teachers Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD), increases voice complaints and decreases the voice-related quality of life. The aims of this study were to evaluate and compare the frequency and severity subscales of the VTD score and total score of VHI and determine the relation between them in primary school teachers with and without MTD.

This study was cross-sectional and was performed on 80 primary female teachers with and without MTD. The participants in both groups were randomly selected after checking the inclusion criteria. Voice history, auditory-perceptual assessment of voice, palpation, and laryngeal video-stroboscopy were assessed on the teachers in two groups. Then, asked the participants to complete the Persian versions of the VTD and VHI scales. After determining the normal distribution of the data using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the results of VTD, VHI, and their subscales were compared between two groups with an independent t-test. Also, the relationship between them was assessed with the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis.

The mean score of the frequency subscale of VTD in teachers with MTD was more than in teachers without MTD (30.17±5.11, 8.22±2.26), respectively. The score of severity subscales of VTD in teachers with MTD was 39.12±4.94 and in teachers without MTD was 7.89±2.13. Also, the total score of the VHI questionnaire in teachers with MTD was significantly higher than teachers without MTD (P<0.05). Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between the frequency and severity subscales of VTD and the total score of VHI in the two groups (P<0.05).

This study showed the frequency and severity scores of the VTD and the degree of VHI experienced by MTD are remarkably higher than teachers without MTD. The authors emphasize on the use of VTD and VHI scales in screening teachers who are at risk of voice problems, and the researchers pointed out the importance of paying attention to the reduction of discomfort feelings in the vocal tract and voice handicap in the voice therapy sessions of teachers with MTD.

Today transoral laser microsurgery is considered as one of the first options to control early laryngeal cancer, and voice disorder is one of the inevitable complications of this therapeutic component. This study aimed to compare the vocal function in patients with early-stage laryngeal cancer following laser surgery with healthy individuals with normal voice quality using acoustic analysis and the voice handicap index and to examine the correlation between the results of these two evaluations in each group.

The current research is a descriptive-correlational and comparative study that was cross-sectioned using convenience sampling into two groups consisting of 60 men (Mean±SD of age 59.18±5.170 years) with early laryngeal cancer undergoing laser surgery as a patient group and 60 men (Mean±SD of age 56.68±5.491 years) with normal voice quality, and without any history of voice disorder as a control. The vocal function of participants was assessed using acoustic parameters (including jitter, shimmer, harmonic to noise ratio, fundamental frequency, smoothed cepstral peak prominence) and a 30-item Persian version of the voice handicap index questionnaire (including overall score and scores of physical, emotional and functional subscale). Then, data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 20, descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, independent t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficient at the P<0.05.

The results show that the acoustic parameters and voice handicap index in the group undergoing laser surgery are significantly different from the control group (P<0.001). Also, a significant direct correlation between jitter and shimmer with total score and physical subscale of VHI, a significant inverse correlation between the harmonic-to-noise ratio and total score, functional and physical subscales of VHI, as well as between smoothed cepstral peak prominence with total score and all subscales of VHI (P<0.05). In addition, in the control group, there is no significant correlation between the acoustic parameters and the subscales of the voice handicap index (P<0.05).

The findings of the acoustic analysis and the voice handicap index show impairment in vocal function and a decrease in voice-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with early laryngeal cancer after laser surgery. Furthermore, a significant correlation between the scores of the voice handicap index and acoustic analysis parameters, especially cepstral analysis indicates the necessity to pay attention to frequency-based analysis. Therefore the results of the present study emphasize the need for a comprehensive assessment of vocal function, providing voice therapy programs, and attention to psychological problems in patients with early laryngeal cancer after laser surgery.

In health system using patient-based tools to measure life quality is a source of making clinical decision. The voice of individuals with hearing loss faces have some problems because of getting inappropriate feedback. According to multilateral impacts on life quality, it is necessary to study the relationship between public life quality (SF 36) and voice-related life quality (VHI) in adults with different hearing losses. The present study is descriptive–analytical and samples were 50 individuals with hearing loss (25 individuals with mild hearing losses, 25 individuals with moderate to severe). Basic information was extracted by interview and then the subjects completed the SF36 and VHI questionnaires. The mean score of each questionnaire was calculated, and the obtained data were analyzed by spearman statistical test in SPSS 22 software. There isn’t any significant correlation between the total score and three subtests of VHI (emotional, physical, and functional) and SF36 in individuals with mild hearing loss. Also the results showed that there is significant correlation between the total score and two subtests of VHI (physical and functional) except emotional tests and SF36 in individuals with moderate to severe hearing loss. This study emphasizes the need for psychosocial rehabilitation along with sound technique. So it is necessary that speech and language pathologists try to improve cognitive-psychosocial factors along with voice treatments to increase voice-related quality of life in these patients.