Validation and Development of Vocal Fatigue Handicap Questionnaire for Koreans.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to validate the Vocal Fatigue Handicap Questionnaire of the Korean version (VFHQ-K) in a Korean population.

Methods: Case group patients with voice problems (n = 95) and control group patients without voice problems (n = 25) participated in the study. They were asked to complete three questionnaires (Voice Handicap Index of the Korean version, VHI-K; Vocal Fatigue Index of Korean version, VFI-K; Vocal Fatigue Handicap Questionnaire of Korean version, VFHQ-K). Case group patients re-completed the VFHQ-K to assess test-retest reliability. Finally, to analyze the cut-off value of VFHQ-K for differentiating the case and control group, the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was used.

Results: VFHQ-K scores for the case group were significantly higher than those for the control group. VFHQ-K scores were significantly correlated with VHI-K and VFI-K. The VFHQ-K had significant test-retest reliability, and its internal consistency was excellent (range of Cronbach alpha correlation coefficients: 0.932-0.979). The cut-off value for differentiating the case and control group was 16.0, with a sensitivity of 92.6% and a specificity of 92.0%.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated the VFHQ-K is a valid and reliable questionnaire and is expected to be useful in revealing symptoms on VF that are common in patients with dysphonia. Future studies with a larger sample size and various diagnosis types are required to further verify the clinical usefulness of the VFHQ.