Motahhare Afkhami, Younes Amiri-Shavaki, Leila Qhelichi, Mohammad Kamali, Zahra Ensafi, Sanaz Azari,
Volume 2, Issue 1 (Continuously Updated 2019)
Abstract
Background: Voice is the unique means of human’s verbal expression, which is produced in the larynx. Laryngeal pathologies can coexist with vocal fatigue and a feeling of voice handicap. The aim of this study was to determine descriptive statistics of males and females and compare the related means. Meanwhile, it was attempted to determine the correlation between Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) and Voice Handicap Index (VHI).
Methods: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytic study conducted on 110 patients with laryngeal pathologies. Fifty four participants were males with mean age of 43.7 years (SD=15.6), and 56 were females with mean age of 40.1 years (SD=11.1). Data was analyzed using SPSS 21 at a significance level of P<0.05. Descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Spearman and Pearson’s co-efficient of correlation, paired t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used.
Results: There was significant correlation between the tiredness and physical discomfort factors of VFI and VHI in patients with laryngeal pathologies (P<0.05). In these patients only the correlation of third factor of VFI with factors of VHI was not significant.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that the feeling of vocal fatigue, and especially tiredness, may lead to the feeling of vocal handicap in patients with laryngeal pathologies. According to the findings, females may have significantly more physical discomfort than males, which needs more attention in future studies.
Zahra Ensafi, Mohammad Kamali, Leyla Bahadorizadeh, Younes Amiri Shavaki,
Volume 7, Issue 1 (Continuously Updated 2024)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic, as a new phenomenon, caused many problems for speech-language pathologists and faced them with various crises. The aim of this study was to review the experiences of speech-language pathologists with the problems and consequences of the pandemic and their effects on their clinical activities.
Methods: A qualitative study of interpretive phenomenological analysis was conducted and 21 participants were selected non-randomly using maximum variation technique. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect information. After collecting the data, coding was started using MAXQDA software. Then, the data were analyzed by thematic analysis method and main themes emerged. Finally, the scientific accuracy of the data was measured by the method of Lincoln and Guba.
Results: Ten main themes, including infection, financial consequences, negative consequences of following health protocols, psychological consequences, consequences for clients, problems created in the workplace, problems created by clients, educational problems, lack of facilities, and opportunity creation were extracted, which represented therapists’ experiences with clinical work during the pandemic.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic created many negative and sometimes positive consequences for speech-language pathologists as well as many other professions, which led to changes and new experiences in the former routine of these therapists.
