Quality of life related to the voice and vocal symptoms of solo amateur singers of Igreja Batista Palavra Viva of Florianópolis

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the voice-related quality of life of amateur solo singers in a Christian church and its relation to possible voice complaints. Methods: cross-sectional, quantitative, descriptive study with population of 49 amateur singers of a Christian church. All subjects signed the free-informed consent term. Then, they answered an identification questionnaire and completed the following instruments: Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL), Screening Index for Voice Disorder (SIVD) and Voice Handicap in Modern Singing Modern Singing Handicap Index (VHMS MSHI). Results: Of the total population, 28.7% (14) were men and 71.4% (35) were women with mean age of 26 years (+6.3).The mean V-RQOL score was 84.9 (+ 13.7), the mean VHMS total score was30.9 (+20.9).The mean score in the SIVD was 1.7. The following symptoms were reported by this population: 30,6 (35) breaking voice; 26.5% (13) phlegm; 20.3% (10) low-pitched voice; 18.4% (9) dry throat; 16.3% (8) strained speech; 14.3% (7) voice loss; 14.3% (7) hoarseness; 14.3% (7) dry cough; 4.1% (2) pain when speaking; 4.1% (2) secretion/ phlegm in throat; and 2,0% (1) pain when swallowing. Conclusion: the amateur church solo singers in this study do not have frequent voice complaints. When they are present, the impact of these symptoms is seen only in singing. However, possible impacts of the complaints do not affect voice-related quality of life. About one third of the singers in this study warm up their voices and take singing lessons, so this may be related to the small occurrence of complaints. Further studies that will aid in monitoring the vocal health of these singers should be conducted.