Which Mask, N95 or Surgical Mask, Causes Hoarseness in Healthcare Workers?

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the impact of different types of masks on the voices of healthcare professionals who had to wear masks for an extended amount of time during the pandemic period and had a healthy voice. METHODS: Our research included 41 healthcare workers. The participants were separated into two groups: surgical (n = 21) and N95 mask users (n = 20). Healthcare workers evaluated masks before and after wearing them for at least 8 hours throughout the workday. All subjects had a videolaryngoscopic examination; the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), GRBAS, acoustic voice analysis (F0, jitter%, shimmer%, noise/harmonic ratio, relative average perturbation [RAP]), aerodynamic measures (maximum phonation time, MPT), and blood oxygen saturation were evaluated. RESULTS: Although both groups' VHI-10 scores increased after using the mask, this rise was not statistically significant in our research. According to the GRBAS classification, voice quality deterioration was identified in 9.6% (mild-moderate) of the group using surgical masks and 15% (mild) of the group wearing N95. Only the jitter and RAP values of individuals wearing both surgical and N95 masks were determined to be statistically significant. There was no significant change in MPT following mask wear in either group. Both the surgical and N95 mask-using groups showed a substantial drop in blood oxygen saturation before and after mask usage. CONCLUSION: There was no change in voice quality between healthcare workers wearing surgical and N95 masks. It has been noticed that voice perception and quality are affected by the mask's barrier effect rather than the kind of mask.

Development of a Voice Handicap Index for Clergymen: An Investigation of Its Validation and Reliability.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to is to develop a disorder-specific patient-reported outcome measure to be used in Islamic clergymen with voice disorders and to investigate its validity and reliability. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Employing an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, this study conducted in two phases. Initially, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 clergymen experiencing voice disorders. Subsequently, the questionnaire underwent rigorous validation, encompassing content, construct, and criterion validity assessments, in addition to test-retest reliability and internal consistency analyses. The index was administered to a sample of 110 male clergy, including imams, muezzins, and Quran course teachers, with an age range from 19 to 61years. RESULTS: Construct validity was established through factor analysis, resulting in a final 23-item scale categorized into two factors: physical-functional and emotional. Known group validity demonstrated a significant distinction between the study and control groups. Criterion validity reinforced the index's validity, displaying a correlation coefficient of 0.758 between the Voice Handicap Index for Clergymen and the well-established Voice Handicap Index. The questionnaire exhibited commendable internal consistency, with a Cronbach's Alpha (α) coefficient value of 0.971. Test-retest reliability analysis exhibited strong consistency, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.863. CONCLUSIONS: It is recommended that the developed valid and reliable handicap index in the present study be included in the voice assessment batteries of Islamic clergymen with voice complaints with the clinical and research purposes. In future studies, the validity of the questionnaire can be investigated more by examining the difference between the Voice Handicap Index for Islamic Clergymen (CVHI) scores obtained before and after treatment. Identifying a cut-off point that discriminates between dysphonic and normophonic clergymen may allow the use of the CVHI as a screening tool for this population.

Impact of the Severity of Reinke's Edema on the Parameters of Voice.

Objective: This study aimed to classify the degree of edema in patients with Reinke's edema (RE) and examine its impact on their voice parameters using both objective and subjective assessment methods. Methods: Objective and subjective voice data of 104 patients diagnosed with RE between 2018 and 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. RE is classified into 4 groups (types 1, 2, 3, and 4). The evaluation included videolaryngostroboscopic examination, acoustic voice analysis, and aerodynamic measurements, GRBAS, Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), Voice-Related Quality of Life Scale (V-RQOL), and Reflux Septum Index (RSI). Results: Patients with type 1 RE had a significantly lower mean age than those with types 3-4. Although there were no significant differences in acoustic and aerodynamic parameters between the groups, it was observed that F0 and the maximum phonation time decreased as the degree of edema increased. The GRBASTotal, G, and R scores of types 1 and 2 were significantly lower than those of types 3 and 4, as were the scores of type 1 S. There were no statistically significant differences between the RE groups in terms of VHI-10, V-RQOL, and RSI scores. Conclusion: It has been observed that as the severity of RE increases, voice perception and quality (especially types 3 and 4) are negatively affected. Determining the degree of edema will guide the clinician in both the planning of the intervention phase and the follow-up phase.

Investigation of Validity and Reliability of Voice Activity and Participation Profile-Turkish Version (VAPP-TR).

A voice activity and participation profile (VAPP) is a self-assessment tool used to measure activity and participation limitations resulting from voice disorders. This study aims to demonstrate the adaptation, validity, and reliability of the Turkish version of the VAPP scale. A total of 231 individuals, 155 with voice disorders (patient group) and 76 without voice disorders (normal group), were included in this study. With reliability, internal consistency, and test-retest methods; validity was evaluated with criterion and convergent validity methods. The Cronbach α coefficient calculated for internal consistency was found to be 0.985 for the VAPP total and between 0.914 and 0.978 for the subsections. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient was found to be 0.974 for the VAPP total and between 0.800 and 0.981 for the subsections. Total and subsection scores of the VAPP scale had correlation coefficients ranged between 0.725 and 0.903 with VHIT and V-RQOLT in the whole sample (all P<0.001). The cut-off point was determined as ≥ 8 by ROC curve analysis for criterion validity. VAPP-TR is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to evaluate the quality of life of Turkish patients with voice disorders, particularly those with activity limitations and participation restrictions.