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The quality of life impact of dysphonia

Lookup NU author(s): Emerita Professor Janet WilsonORCiD

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Abstract

Dysphonia can affect social life and employment, but formal studies of its general health impact are lacking. The aims of this study were (i) to compare self-rated general health status as measured by the SF-36 in a large cohort of dysphonic patients with those from normative groups; and (ii) to examine the differential impact of dysphonia on the various health status domains. The 163 dysphonic voice clinic attendees (38 men, 125 women) were drawn from recruits to a prospective trial of speech therapy efficacy. The Short-Form 36 (SF-36) scores were compared with published data on 744 age-matched healthy controls. Patients with dysphonia had significantly poorer self-reported health than the controls on all eight SF-36 subscales (limitation of physical activity P < 0.05; other seven, all P < 0.001, Student's t -test). We thus conclude that dysphonia in patients without obvious laryngeal disease has an adverse impact on all health status subscales as measured by the SF-36. The study provides further evidence for the inclusion quality of life measures in otolaryngology baseline and outcome assessments.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Wilson JA, Deary IJ, Millar A, Mackenzie K

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Clinical Otolaryngology

Year: 2002

Volume: 27

Issue: 3

Pages: 179-182

ISSN (print): 1749-4478

ISSN (electronic): 1749-4486

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2273.2002.00559.x

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2273.2002.00559.x

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