O impacto da voz na qualidade da vida da mulher idosa

Abstract

Al though 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.

Avaliação do Voice Handicap Index em pacientes com perda auditiva neurossensorial bilateral a partir de grau moderado

“…The papers on patients with spasmodic dysphonia (in adduction and abduction) show results with total VHI scores varying between 63.46 and 102 16,22,23 , more than twice the median found in the present study, a trend we can clearly see in the scores of each subitem 23 . Patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis also showed higher scores than those in the hearing loss group, varying between 87.9 and 62.8.…”

“…VHI was used as a means to measure the voicerelated handicap in different disease groups, such as organic dysphonias 15 , presbyphonia 16 , professional use of one's voice 17,18 , gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) and laryngopharyngeal reflux disorders 19,20,21 , adduction and abduction spasmodic dysphonia 22,23,24 , thyroplasties 25,26,27 , microsurgery for benign 28,29 and malignant 30,31,32 disorders, radiography for laryngeal cancer 33 , use of tracheoesophageal 34 and speech therapy 35,36 . Numerous authors compared other methods of vocal assessment.…”

Caracterização da saúde de idosos numa perspectiva fonoaudiológica

“…This means that the greater the voice disorder, the bigger the impact in the quality of life related to the voice 28 . In another survey conducted among 50 women whose ages varied from 60 to 87, in the countryside of São Paulo (a southeastern Brazilian state), there was a clear relationship between the quality of voice and the quality of life, considering parameters such as physical functioning, vitality, general health, mental health, body pain and physical role in life 29 .…”

O corpo do cantor: alongar, relaxar ou aquecer?

“…Outrossim, reflete-se que para a elaboração da voz, o corpo deve estar livre das tensões indesejadas, porém não significa estar com a musculatura relaxada, mas sim com o tônus muscular adequado para o gesto 20 . Nesse sentido, a correlação entre o equilíbrio psíquico e funcionamento físico, pode ter significante resultado na qualidade vocal 22 . O canto é uma atividade que demanda preparo físico e emocional, portanto, torna-se necessário um treinamento adequado para se adquirir controle e propriocepção da fonação, bem como equilíbrio corporal.…”