Relationship between adherence to speech therapy in patients with dysphonia and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: The present study analyzed if aspects of voice-related quality of life (VRQOL) were associated with adherence to voice therapy in teachers.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective survey in which the medical records of 179 dysphonic teachers (62, abandonment group and 114, discharge group) who underwent speech therapy at the Speech Therapy Clinic at the Hospital das Clínicas of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (AV-HCUFMG) were analyzed.

METHODS: Female teachers with dysphonia referred by Gerência de Saúde e Perícia Médica (Department of Health and Medical Analysis) of Belo Horizonte City Hall were included. The variables of interest were: age, number of voice therapy sessions attended (attendance), number of sessions missed (absence), type of dysphonia, and Vocal Activity and Protocol Profile (VAPP) scores administered during the first therapy session as a component of voice assessment. The chi-square test was used to assess categorical variables. For continuous variables, the Mann-Whitney test, a nonparametric test for independent samples, was used.

RESULTS: The groups differed with regard to the type of dysphonia as well as the several parameters of the VAPP: vocal self-perception, effects at work, effects on daily communication, effects on emotion, and the total VAPP score.

CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with less favorable VRQOL scores were less adherent to voice therapy compared with subjects with more favorable VRQOL.