Page 73 - Portuguese Journal - SPORL - Vol 61. Nº2
P. 73
Voice Handicap Index: European
Portuguese versions, validity, and
usefulness
Review Article
Authors Abstract
Aims: With regard to the Voice Handicap Index
Isabel Guimarães (VHI) in European Portuguese, the aims of this
Escola Superior de Saúde do Alcoitão-Santa Casa study were to: (i) Identify the versions currently in
da Misericórdia de Lisboa; Laboratório JJ Ferreira, use; (ii) Analyze the process used for the linguistic-
Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, cultural adaptation and the clinimetric properties;
Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, and (iii) Determine the clinical and scientific
Portugal
usefulness.
Gabriela Torrejano Study design: Systematic literature review.
Serviço de Otorrinolaringologia do Hospital de Materials and Methods: Two independent
Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa researchers searched the databases, open access
Norte, EPE; Escola Superior de Saúde do Alcoitão- repositories, and archives of two Portuguese
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, Portugal scientific journals. Clinimetric properties and
clinical and scientific usefulness were analyzed
according to the international guidelines for
patient reported outcome measures (PROMs).
Results: In total, five questionnaires were
identified in EP: the original VHI, two abbreviated
versions - VHI-9i and VHI-10, and two adapted
versions - pediatric (pVHI) and VHI for singers
(SVHI). The VHI is unique as it provides evidence of
all the ten recommended clinimetric properties.
Conclusions: The VHI is recommended for clinical
assessment and research, while the others have
the potential to be recommended.
Keywords: Voice; Voice Handicap Index;
Questionnaires; Clinimetric properties; Usefulness
Introduction
The evolution of the health paradigm to a
biopsychosocial perspective was accompanied
by the development of a conceptual base
for the definition and measurement of the
health status and its universalization, the
International Classification of Functioning,
Correspondence: Disability and Health of the World Health
Isabel Guimarães Organization (WHO). The result of an
Rua Conde Barão, Alcoitão
2649-506 Alcabideche intervention, i.e., the outcome, is no longer
Isabel.guimaraes@essa.scml.pt assessed solely through a change in the
physical status, as it was traditionally through
Article received on December 3, 2022. indices based on physiological measurements
Accepted for publication on January 18, 2023. and the functional capacity, but also includes
Volume 61 . Nº2 . June 2023 215
