Anick Lamarche 1 , Ingrid Verduyckt 2,3 , Joakim Westerlund 4 , Sten Ternström 1

1 KTH, CSC, Speech Music and Hearing, Stockholm

2 Université catholique de Louvain, Centre d'Audiophonologie Saint-Luc, Bruxelles

3 Université catholique de Louvain, Cliniques universitaires de Mont-Godinne, Yvoir

4 Stockholm University, Department of Psychology, Stockholm

Objective: The recent Belgian adaptation for singers of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) was translated and readapted in Swedish. This study’s aim was to evaluate the validity and reliability of this Swedish version. Method: In a parallel group design, 96 healthy singers and 30 singer-patients with various diagnoses completed a Swedish version of the singer adapted VHI. An evaluation of the Swedish voice health status instrument was carried out. In average, delays between test-retest ranged from 14 to 16 days. Validity and reliability as well as the internal coherence and group differences were assessed. Results: The singer-patient group scored significantly higher than the control group. Reliability was confirmed by high Cronbach’s alpha (>.78) for test-retest scores as well as each subscales. In particular, test-retest stability in both groups was confirmed by high values for Cronbach’s alpha (>.8). For both the control and patient groups, test and retest scores compared closely to previous reports with respect to overall scores. Retest results were slightly lower than initial test scores. Conclusions: The Swedish translation of the adapted VHI for singers (RHI-s) is valid and reliable and shows sensitivity to the singer's concerns. It can be considered a useful tool in the clinical assessment of Swedish healthy or pathological singers.

 

Keywords: Voice Handicap Index, singers, validity, reliability, Swedish, voice disorders, singing levels, singing genre, self-perception

 

John Rubin 1 , Reza Nouraei 1 , Shaji Mansuri 1 , Prem Randhawa 1

1 Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital, ENT, London

This pilot study investigates VHI findings in a general allergy clinic

Investigative parameters include skin prick tests for common environmental allergens, the VHI questionnaire

Findings: 1. Increased allergy load overall correlated with the functional aspects of the VHI test; 2. Six of the 30 questions were statistically correlated with increased allergy load.

This brief pilot study raises the possibility that apects of the VHI test can be used to test for patients with allergic laryngitis .

Tom Karlsen 1,2 , Hans-Jørgen Aarstad 2 , Jan Olofsson 2 , John-Helge Heimdal 2

1 Statped Vest, Speech and Language Department, Bergen

2 Haukeland University Hospital, Depts. of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, Bergen

Anne Bingen-Jakobsen 1 , Inge Ernst Koelle 2 , Solveig Gunvor Pedersen 1 , Niels Reinholt Petersen 3

1 CSU, Kommunikationsafdelingen, Roskilde

2 Hospital, ENT, KOEGE

3 University, Department of Audiologopaedics, Copenhagen