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Protocol - Voice Impairments - Adults

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Description

The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) is a 30-item self-administered questionnaire that asks individuals to describe their voice and the effects of their voice on their life. Three subscales cover the areas of functional, emotional, and physical aspects of voice disorders. Points from the questions can be combined to assign a total score, or they can be combined by subscale.

Specific Instructions
None
Availability

Available

Protocol

Voice Handicap Index

Instructions: These are statements that many people have used to describe their voices and the effects of their voices on their lives. Check the response that indicates how frequently you have the same experience.

1. My voice makes it difficult for people to hear me.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

2. I run out of air when I talk.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

3. People have difficulty understanding me in a noisy room.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

4. The sound of my voice varies throughout the day.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

5. My family has difficulty hearing me when I call them throughout the house.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

6. I use the phone less often than I would like.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

7. Im tense when talking with others because of my voice.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

8. I tend to avoid groups of people because of my voice.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

9. People seem irritated with my voice.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

10. People ask, "Whats wrong with your voice?"

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

11. I speak with friends, neighbors, or relatives less often because of my voice.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

12. People ask me to repeat myself when speaking face-to-face.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

13. My voice sounds creaky and dry.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

14. I feel as though I have to strain to produce voice.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

15. I find other people dont understand my voice problem.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

16. My voice difficulties restrict my personal and social life.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

17. The clarity of my voice is unpredictable.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

18. I try to change my voice to sound different.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

19. I feel left out of conversations because of my voice.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

20. I use a great deal of effort to speak.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

21. My voice is worse in the evening.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

22. My voice problem causes me to lose income.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

23. My voice problem upsets me.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

24. I am less outgoing because of my voice problem.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

25. My voice makes me feel handicapped.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

26. My voice "gives out" on me in the middle of speaking.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

27. I feel annoyed when people ask me to repeat.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

28. I feel embarrassed when people ask me to repeat.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

29. My voice makes me feel incompetent.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

30. Im ashamed of my voice problem.

0[ ]Never

1[ ]Almost Never

2[ ]Sometimes

3[ ]Almost Always

4[ ]Always

Scoring Instructions

The score is the sum of the numerals in the multiple-choice responses.

Physical Subscale: questions 2, 4, 10, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, 26
Emotional Subscale: questions 7, 9, 15, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30
Functional Subscale: questions 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12, 16, 19, 22



Scale

Mild

Moderate

Severe

Functional

>10

>12

>18

Physical

>15

>18

>22

Emotional

>8

>13

>20

Total

>33

>44

>61

Personnel and Training Required
None
Equipment Needs
The respondent will need a copy of the questionnaire.
Requirements
Requirement CategoryRequired
Major equipment No
Specialized training No
Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection No
Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual No
Mode of Administration

Self-administered questionnaire

Lifestage

Adult

Participants

Adults ages 18 and older

Selection Rationale

The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) was selected because it is validated, reliable, requires little time to administer, and is easy to score and interpret.

Language

Chinese, English

Standards
StandardNameIDSource
Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) Voice impairments proto 63004-6 LOINC
Human Phenotype Ontology Abnormality of the voice HP:0001608 HPO
caDSR Form PhenX PX201301 - Voice Impairments 6196132 caDSR Form
Derived Variables

None

Process and Review

Not applicable.

Protocol Name from Source

Voice Handicap Index (VHI)?, 1997

Source
Jacobson, B. H., Johnson, A., Grywalski, C., Silbergleit, A., Jacobson, G., Benninger, M. S., & Newman, C. W. (1997). The Voice Handicap Index (VHI): Development and validation. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 6, 66–70. Copyright 1997 by American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. All rights reserved.
General References

None

Protocol ID

201301

Variables
Export Variables
Variable Name Variable IDVariable DescriptiondbGaP Mapping
PX201301_Annoyed_When_Asked_To_Repeat
PX201301270000 I feel annoyed when people ask me to repeat. N/A
PX201301_Ashamed_Of_Voice_Problem
PX201301300000 I'm ashamed of my voice problem. N/A
PX201301_Avoid_Groups_Due_To_Voice
PX201301080000 I tend to avoid groups of people because of more
my voice. show less
N/A
PX201301_Change_Voice_To_Sound_Different
PX201301180000 I try to change my voice to sound different. N/A
PX201301_Difficulty_Understanding_Me_Noisy_Room
PX201301030000 People have difficulty understanding me in a more
noisy room. show less
N/A
PX201301_Difficult_For_People_Hear_Me
PX201301010000 My voice makes it difficult for people to hear me. N/A
PX201301_Family_Difficulty_Hearing_Me
PX201301050000 My family has difficulty hearing me when I more
call them throughout the house. show less
N/A
PX201301_Feel_Embarrassed_When_Repeat_Self
PX201301280000 I feel embarrassed when people ask me to repeat. N/A
PX201301_Feel_Left_Out_Of_Conversations
PX201301190000 I feel left out of conversations because of more
my voice. show less
N/A
PX201301_Great_Deal_Of_Effort_Speak
PX201301200000 I use a great deal of effort to speak. N/A
PX201301_Less_Outgoing_DueTo_Voice
PX201301240000 I am less outgoing because of my voice problem. N/A
PX201301_People_Ask_About_Voice
PX201301100000 People ask, What's wrong with your voice? N/A
PX201301_People_Ask_Me_To_Repeat
PX201301120000 People ask me to repeat myself when speaking more
face-to-face. show less
N/A
PX201301_People_DoNot_Understand_Problem
PX201301150000 I find other people don't understand my more
voice problem. show less
N/A
PX201301_People_Irritated_With_My_Voice
PX201301090000 People seem irritated with my voice. N/A
PX201301_Run_Out_Of_Air
PX201301020000 I run out of air when I talk. N/A
PX201301_Sound_Of_Voice_Varies
PX201301040000 The sound of my voice varies throughout the day. N/A
PX201301_Speak_Less_Often_To_Friends
PX201301110000 I speak with friends, neighbors, or more
relatives less often because of my voice. show less
N/A
PX201301_Strain_To_Produce_Voice
PX201301140000 I feel as though I have to strain to produce more
voice. show less
N/A
PX201301_Tense_When_Talking
PX201301070000 I'm tense when talking with others because more
of my voice. show less
N/A
PX201301_Use_Phone_Less_Often
PX201301060000 I use the phone less often than I would like. N/A
PX201301_Voice_Causes_Lost_Income
PX201301220000 My voice problem causes me to lose income. N/A
PX201301_Voice_Clarity_Unpredictable
PX201301170000 The clarity of my voice is unpredictable. N/A
PX201301_Voice_Creaky_Dry
PX201301130000 My voice sounds creaky and dry. N/A
PX201301_Voice_Gives_Out
PX201301260000 My voice gives out on me in the middle of more
speaking. show less
N/A
PX201301_Voice_Makes_Me_Feel_Handicapped
PX201301250000 My voice makes me feel handicapped. N/A
PX201301_Voice_Makes_Me_Feel_Incompetent
PX201301290000 My voice makes me feel incompetent. N/A
PX201301_Voice_Restricts_Personal_Social_Life
PX201301160000 My voice difficulties restrict my personal more
and social life. show less
N/A
PX201301_Voice_Upsets_Me
PX201301230000 My voice problem upsets me. N/A
PX201301_Voice_Worse_Evening
PX201301210000 My voice is worse in the evening. N/A
Speech, Language and Hearing
Measure Name

Voice Impairments

Release Date

October 8, 2010

Definition

This measure is a questionnaire to assess the functional, emotional, and psychosocial consequences of voice disorders.

Purpose

This measure can be used to assess the functional, emotional, and psychosocial consequences of voice disorders and the impact of an individual's voice disorder on daily activities.

Keywords

Voice, voice function, voice disorders, voice difficulties, Voice Handicap Index, VHI, emotional, psychological, speech and hearing, Aging Voice Index, AVI

Measure Protocols
Protocol ID Protocol Name
201301 Voice Impairments - Adults
201302 Voice Impairments - Older Adults
Publications

There are no publications listed for this protocol.