Treatment responsiveness of the Singing Voice Handicap Index.

Abstract

To examine the responsiveness of the previously validated Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI) to treatment related changes in patients' singing voice. Prospective. Thirty singing patients at a tertiary voice clinic prospectively completed the Voice Handicap Index and SVHI at their initial presentation, pretreatment, and posttreatment. Patients had lower SVHI scores posttherapy compared with the initial SVHI scores (P <or= .001, paired t-test). The change in SVHI scores from initial to posttreatment evaluation was greater than the change from initial to pretreatment evaluation (P < .001, paired t-test). The Spearman correlation of the Voice Handicap Index difference with the SVHI difference before and after treatment was 0.71 (P < .001). The SVHI measures changes in patients' singing vocal health status resulting from treatment and the change correlates with that of other validated instruments.