OBJECTIVE: Restrictions of verbal communication and high prevalence of voice disorders in the elderly are suspected to influence the quality of life. For assessment, both voice-specific and unspecific methods are already established and fundamental components of clinical diagnostics, but the question of correlation between voice-related and general health-related quality of life is still open in this subpopulation. METHODS: One hundred and seven socially active persons aged 65+ years were recruited and asked to complete Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) and Short Form (SF)-36 questionnaires. RESULTS: There was a mild correlation between V-RQOL score and both of the SF-36 subscores (r(s)=0.28 for the physical subscore and r(s)=0.27 for the mental subscore). CONCLUSION: As correlation of voice- and health-related quality of life in elderly persons is only mild, both voice-specific and unspecific assessment methods are required for clinical diagnostics.
OBJECTIVE: Restrictions of verbal communication and high prevalence of voice disorders in the elderly are suspected to influence the quality of life. For assessment, both voice-specific and unspecific methods are already established and fundamental components of clinical diagnostics, but the question of correlation between voice-related and general health-related quality of life is still open in this subpopulation. METHODS: One hundred and seven socially active persons aged 65+ years were recruited and asked to complete Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) and Short Form (SF)-36 questionnaires. RESULTS: There was a mild correlation between V-RQOL score and both of the SF-36 subscores (r(s)=0.28 for the physical subscore and r(s)=0.27 for the mental subscore). CONCLUSION: As correlation of voice- and health-related quality of life in elderly persons is only mild, both voice-specific and unspecific assessment methods are required for clinical diagnostics.
Authors: Leandro de Araújo Pernambuco; Albert Espelt; Patrícia Maria Mendes Balata; Kenio Costa de Lima Journal: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2014-08-23 Impact factor: 2.503