VHI-10 and SVHI-10 Differences in Singers' Self-perception of Dysphonia Severity

SummaryObjectivePrevious investigations of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-10 in clinical practice noted that specific information relevant to singers was not forthcoming. Consequently, a second index, the Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI) as well as its shortened counterpart the SVHI-10, was developed. The purpose of this study was to directly compare the differences in scores between the VHI-10 and the SVHI-10 in a group of 50 singers.MethodsA retrospective chart review of 50 singers (26 women, 24 men) was performed between June 2014 and November 2014 at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York. Subjects completed both the VHI-10 and the SVHI-10 at their initial evaluation. The results from the VHI-10 and the SVHI-10 were then compared using paired t test and two-way analysis of variance.ResultsThe SVHI-10 scores from the performers were significantly higher than those of the VHI-10 (P < 0.0001). The mean score on the VHI-10 was 12.1 compared with 20.4 on the SVHI-10 (maximum score for each questionnaire is 40). There were no significant gender differences when comparing the VHI-10 and the SVHI-10 on the overall scores or for individual items. The analysis of variance also found no significant gender difference (P = 0.865) and confirmed a significant difference between VHI-10 and SVHI-10 (P = 0.0003).ConclusionWhereas singers may have general complaints about their voice, they also have specific complaints that relate only to their singing voice. Finding a significant difference between the scores of the VHI-10 and the SVHI-10 suggests the importance of assessing the singer's perception of voice severity using a tool that focuses on the singing voice.