PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the cutoff point at Voice Handicap Index (VHI) as a diagnostic tool in the process of voice disorder assessment. It further surveyed a correlation between diagnosis made by speech specialist and a corresponding opinion reported by client on the existence/nonexistence of any voice disorder. METHOD: A sample of 160 individuals who completed the VHI questionnaire were assigned to clinical and nonclinical groups. They were asked about the opinions of their voices on a Likert scale. RESULTS: A correlation was found between the specialists' diagnosis and clients' opinion on their own voices (r=0.882); however, this was reduced (r=0.717) when a mild voice disorder existed among the nonclinical group. The cutoff point, at which VHI sensitivity (for screening subjects with and without normal voices) reached its maximal value (92%) and its highest level of specificity (95%), was observed to be 14.5. CONCLUSION: Occasional incompatibility between specialists' diagnoses and that of clients' opinion about existence/nonexistence of voice disorders within the individuals should be considered significant. Also, a score of 14.5 can be accepted as the cutoff point at VHI (Persian version) in the voice disorder assessment process.
PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the cutoff point at Voice Handicap Index (VHI) as a diagnostic tool in the process of voice disorder assessment. It further surveyed a correlation between diagnosis made by speech specialist and a corresponding opinion reported by client on the existence/nonexistence of any voice disorder. METHOD: A sample of 160 individuals who completed the VHI questionnaire were assigned to clinical and nonclinical groups. They were asked about the opinions of their voices on a Likert scale. RESULTS: A correlation was found between the specialists' diagnosis and clients' opinion on their own voices (r=0.882); however, this was reduced (r=0.717) when a mild voice disorder existed among the nonclinical group. The cutoff point, at which VHI sensitivity (for screening subjects with and without normal voices) reached its maximal value (92%) and its highest level of specificity (95%), was observed to be 14.5. CONCLUSION: Occasional incompatibility between specialists' diagnoses and that of clients' opinion about existence/nonexistence of voice disorders within the individuals should be considered significant. Also, a score of 14.5 can be accepted as the cutoff point at VHI (Persian version) in the voice disorder assessment process.
Authors: Beata Miaśkiewicz; Elżbieta Gos; Małgorzata Dębińska; Aleksandra Panasiewicz-Wosik; Dorota Kapustka; Katarzyna Nikiel; Elżbieta Włodarczyk; Anna Domeracka-Kołodziej; Paulina Krasnodębska; Agata Szkiełkowska Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-08-29 Impact factor: 4.614