Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Voice Handicap Index Into Greek

Helidoni, Meropi E.; Murry, Thomas; Moschandreas, Joanna; Lionis, Christos; Printza, Athanasia; Velegrakis, George A.

doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2008.06.005

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Volume 24, Issue 2 , Pages 221-227, March 2010

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Voice Handicap Index Into Greek

Meropi E. Helidoni
- ENT Department, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
Thomas Murry
- Voice and Swallowing Center, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, New York
- Clinical Speech-Pathology in Otolaryngology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
Joanna Moschandreas
- Biostatistics Lab, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
Christos Lionis
- Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, Head of the Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
Athanasia Printza
- 2nd Otorhinolaryngology Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Voice Clinic, Thessaloniki, Greece
- 2nd Otorhinolaryngology Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
George A. Velegrakis
- Department of Otolaryngology of the University of Crete, Crete, Greece
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to George A. Velegrakis, MD, University of Crete, Myrtias 3 Str., Heraklion, Crete 71409, Greece.

Accepted 11 June 2008. published online 27 August 2008.

Summary

The objective was to culturally adapt and validate the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) to the Greek language. The study design used was a psychometric analysis. The VHI was translated into Greek with cultural adaptations to accommodate certain words. The translated version was then completed by 67 subjects with various voice disorders and by a control group of 79 subjects. All the participants also completed a self-rating scale regarding the severity of their voice disorder. Statistical analyses demonstrated high internal consistency and high test-retest reliability both for the overall VHI score and for the functional, physical, and emotional domains of the VHI. A moderate correlation was found between the VHI and the self-rating severity scale. The subjects in the control group had lower scores compared to the subjects with voice disorders for the overall VHI score and for the three domains. Based on the internal consistency values and the test-retest reliability, the Greek version of VHI is a valid and reliable measure for use by Greek subjects with voice disorders.

Key Words: Voice Handicap Index, Voice disorders, Greek Voice Handicap Index, Normal Voice