Browsing by Author "Freitas, Susana Vaz"
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Cross‑cultural adaptation and validation of the european portuguese Dysphagia handicap indexPublication . Silva‑Carvalho, Isabel ; Martins, Adriana ; Casanova, Maria Jorge ; Freitas, Susana Vaz; Meireles, LuísThe Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI) is a valid Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) 25-item questionnaire assessing the physical, functional, and emotional aspects of patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD), of heterogeneous etiologies. The purpose of this study is to translate and validate the European Portuguese-DHI (EP-DHI). This is a prospective study that was carried out at Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto). The generated EP-DHI was administered to 132 patients with OD and 112 healthy control subjects. 132 patients undergoing fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing (FEES). 15 patients were contacted by phone, 2 or 3 weeks later after the first interview to repeat the questionnaire. The validity of concurrent criteria was evaluated by comparing the results of the EP-DHI score with the score attributed to the pathological findings found in FEES and, consequently, Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS). The internal consistency of EP-DHI was successful: Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for total EP-DHI was 0.874. The test–retest reliability for the total and the three EP-DHI subscales obtained a Pearson's correlation coefficient ranged from 0.990 to 0.712. This study demonstrates that EP-DHI is a valid tool for self-assessment of the handicapping effect of dysphagia on physical, functional, and emotional aspects of patient’s quality of life, among an European Portuguese sample.
- Evaluation of the ability to sing easily: Adaptation and validation to the European Portuguese languagePublication . Pestana, Pedro Melo; Freitas, Susana Vaz; Alegria, Rita; Manso, Maria ConceiçãoA number of voice assessment tools are currently in use in both clinical and research settings. The Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily offers a comprehensive self-assessment tool designed for singers. EASE captures subtle changes in vocal health by inquiring about the subject's current experience. This makes Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily a valuable tool for the early identification of vocal issues and the monitoring of a singer's overall vocal health. Objective: This study aimed to adapt and validate the Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily for European Portuguese and assess its psychometric properties. Methodology: A five-step cross-cultural adaptation process was followed, including forward translation, backward translation, committee review, pilot testing, and finalization. The Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily for European Portuguese was then administered to 120 singers (Fado and Choir) to evaluate internal consistency and known-groups validity. Results: The pilot test identified and resolved ambiguities in seven Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily for European Portuguese items. Internal consistency was high, with Cronbach's alpha exceeding 0.80 for the Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily scale and sub-scales in both Fado and Choir singers. Fado singers reported higher vocal fatigue scores, while Choir singers reported higher Pathologic Risk Indicators scores. A weak negative correlation between singing load and PRI scores was observed in Choir singers. Conclusion: The Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily for European Portuguese demonstrates good internal consistency and cultural relevance for Portuguese singers. Known-groups validity suggests potential differences in vocal function between Fado and Choir singers. Further research is needed to explore external validity, test-retest reliability, and applicability to other singing styles.
- Limitações comunicativas da pessoa laringectomizada total na pandemia COVID-19Publication . Freitas, Érica; Freitas, Susana VazO cancro da laringe afeta várias funções do corpo, sendo as mais notadas a respiração, a deglutição e a fala, com repercussões na sobrevivência e/ou vida social (Singer et al., 2019). A pandemia de Coronavírus (COVID-19) veio trazer desafios médicos, sociais e psicológicos para todos e, em particular, para as pessoas laringectomizadas totais (PLT) (Brook, 2020).
- Risk factors for voice disorders among Fado singers: A cross-sectional studyPublication . Pestana, Pedro; Freitas, Susana Vaz; Manso, Maria ConceiçãoFado is an urban Portuguese musical style rooted in popular culture. Previously found data suggests that Fado singers may have an increased risk of developing voice disorders. To determine the risk factors for the development of voice disorders among Fado singers. A cross-sectional study was conducted through the administration of a questionnaire containing questions related to voice disorders in singers. The relationship between personal and social data, musical background, performance demands and habits, vocal health and wellbeing, and strategies to overcome voice problems are reported. Beyond a comprehensive characterization, odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association with voice disorders were calculated through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The significant risk factors for voice disorders were as follows in decreasing order: nose-related disorders; decongestants or antihistamines; oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy; previous smoking habits; and vocal fatigue after performances. These activities significantly increased the risk of developing voice disorders. The evidence from this study and the relative low prevalence of self-reported voice disorders suggest that these singers may develop a kind of protective combination of factors beyond the scope of this research.