Vocal impact on quality of life of elderly female subjects

Although there are several investigations focusing the physiology and anatomy of voice and the senior's larynx, little has been produced to support the knowledge of the impact of vocal conditions on quality of life of this portion of the population. AIM: To verify the impact of voice on quality of the life of elderly women, using the questionnaires Short-Form Health Survey - SF36 and Voice Handicap Index (VHI). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective transversal cohort study. Method and Material: Fifty senior women participated in this research, with ages between 60 and 87 years and mean age of 70.8 years old, randomly recruited. The participants of the study were submitted to two questionnaires: SF36 and VHI. The answers of both questionnaires were compared by Kruskall-Wallis test, verifying if there were significant differences among the variables. The test of Spearman was used to evaluate if there was correlation among the results of the variables of VHI and the results obtained in the parameter of SF36 for life quality. RESULTS: We obtained values considered statistically significant in the correlations among physical domain of VHI and physical operation, physical pain and physical role in life of SF36. CONCLUSION: There was a significant and positive correlation among the results obtained in the parameters physical operation, vitality, general health, mental health, corporal pain and physical role in life of SF36. There were statistically significant and negative correlations among the total results obtained in SF36 and VHI.