Influence of vocal and aerodynamics aspects on the voice-related quality of life of older adults

• Autor(a) principal: Siqueira, Larissa Thaís Donalonso
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Silverio, Kelly Cristina Alves, Berretin-Felix, Giédre, Genaro, Kária Flores, Fukushiro, Ana Paula, Brasolotto, Alcione Ghedini
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Journal of applied oral science (Online)
• DOI: 10.1590/1678-7757-2020-0052
• Texto Completo: https://www.revistas.usp.br/jaos/article/view/190362
• topic: Older adults; Voice; Breath; Quality of life

The pursuit for quality of life urged a better understanding of aspects involved in ageing to minimize its consequences. Although many studies investigated older adults’ voice, aspects affecting this population voice-related quality of life have not yet been explored. Objective: To investigate how aerodynamics and vocal aspects are associated with voice-related quality of life in older adults. Methodology: fifty-six older adults aged 60 years or above – 39 women and 17 men – were evaluated. The following procedures were performed: application of the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) protocol; vocal assessment, including auditory-perceptual and acoustic analysis, from which we obtained fundamental frequency (F 0 ), standard deviation of fundamental frequency (SDF 0 ), shimmer, amplitude perturbation quotient (APQ), jitter, pitch period perturbation quotient (PPQ), and harmonics to noise ratio (HNR); aerodynamic assessment using a spirometer; and maximum phonation time (MPT) for /a/, /s/, /z/ and number counting. Results: older adults tend to present high V-RQOL scores. Among women, roughness, APQ, and HNR parameters were negatively correlated with V-RQOL, whereas F 0 was positively. We found no correlation between spirometry measurements and V-RQOL. MPT for /a/, /z/, and number counting was positively correlated with V-RQOL solely among men. Conclusion: Vocal roughness and acoustic parameters have a negative impact on the quality of life of older women. Respiratory aspects related to the available air support for speaking affected the most the voice-related quality of life of older men.