scholarly journals Analysis of aspects of quality of life in teachers' voice after discharged: longitudinal study

CoDAS ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 486-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josiane Mendes Ferreira ◽  
Nathalia Ferreira Campos ◽  
Iara Barreto Bassi ◽  
Marco Aurelio Rocha Santos ◽  
Leticia Caldas Teixeira ◽  
...  

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term effects of voice therapy on the life quality of teachers who were discharged or abandoned the voice therapy for dysphonia. METHODS: This was a longitudinal study based on analysis of assessments with teachers of municipal schools in Belo Horizonte, who were referred to voice therapy and were discharged or abandoned the speech-language therapy for more than six months. A total of 33 teachers in the discharged group and 20 teachers in the abandoned group were contacted by phone and invited to participate in the study by answering the Voice activity and participation profile, which was forwarded to the researchers and sent via letter. RESULTS: At the moment of the pre speech therapy, the discharged and abandoned groups were homogeneous, except in relation to daily communication parameter. Comparing the discharged group in the pre and post speech-language therapy, it was showed improvements in social communication parameter as well as in the total score. The discharged group presented worsening in self-perception parameter when comparing the average values in the post therapy and current moments, and the group abandoned presented worsening in work, social communication and total score when comparing to the average values in the pre therapy and current moments. The discharged and abandoned groups differ in the present moment in all investigated parameters. CONCLUSION: Speech-language therapy for dysphonia have long term positive effects on life quality and voice of teachers who were soon discharged from the therapy and in a period of two years on average. Teachers who have abandoned treatment and did not obtain improvement in the voice showed negative impact in life quality and voice in a time of 2 years and 2 months on average.

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nesreen Fathi Mahmoud ◽  
Huda Zahran ◽  
Sherif Abdelmonam

Abstract Background This study focuses on the self-perception of the voice in the elderly as assessed by the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) questionnaire. This work aimed to compare differences in the voice-related quality of life outcomes between (1) elderly with and without voice disorders, (2) female and male elderly with voice disorders, and (3) different types of voice disorders, and to explore the correlation between the V-RQOL and perceptual analysis done by the clinician. Forty-three dysphonic and 44 non-dysphonic elderly filled out the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) protocol that analyzes the impact of dysphonia on life quality. Vocal perceptual assessment of each subject with dysphonia was made by three voice therapists, followed by a flexible nasofibrolaryngoscope. Results A significant statistical difference was found between the means of total V-RQOL scores and its subdomains for each group (dysphonic and non-dysphonic). No significant differences were found between male and female elderly with dysphonia. The statistical analysis showed a significant correlation with the vocal assessment made by the clinicians and the V-RQOL self-assessment made by the subjects. Conclusions This study provides valuable information regarding the risk factors that contribute to vocal quality in the elderly population. Our results revealed that different types of voice disorders are common among the elderly population with significant negative effects on quality of life. It was observed that the poorest score on the V-RQOL was for functional voice disorders, followed by neoplastic lesions, whereas MAPLs had the best score on the V-RQOL.


Author(s):  
Pedro Clarós ◽  
Aleksandra Sobolewska ◽  
María Del Carmen Pujol ◽  
Astrid Clarós-Pujol ◽  
Andrés Clarós

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the long-term influence of tonsillectomy on the quality of life and voice performance of opera singers. Survey study which was reviewing the long-term effects of tonsillectomy.  </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> Retrospective review of patients’ records and surveys in which patients have answered the questions about the influence of tonsillectomy on their voice. A total group of 30 singers was included in the study. They answered the questions about the indications for surgery, symptoms, and changes in their voice after surgery. The study group consisted of 19 women and 11 men. Mean age was 18.53 years old at the moment of surgery. The group included eleven sopranos, six mezzos, two contraltos, four tenors, five baritones, and one bass singer.  </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> A most common indication for tonsillectomy in opera singers was recurrent tonsillitis and was present in over 83% of cases. After surgery, the voice performance was better in 60% of cases, breathing improved in 50% of cases, voice emission was higher in 53% of cases. Over 80% of singers would recommend that surgery to another opera singer.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Singers evaluated long-term influence of tonsillectomy as positive. Over 80% admitted improved effect on emission and the function of voice.</p>


Author(s):  
J. García Hernanz ◽  
G. Morales-Alonso ◽  
G. Fernández Sánchez ◽  
E. Pilkington González ◽  
T. Sánchez Chaparro

Madrid Public Transport Company (EMT-Madrid) is a property of the Madrid City Council, and it provides the public buses service in the whole city. Madrid, as most of the big cities in the world, is facing problems related to high levels of urban pollution, which directly affects the health and life quality of their inhabitants. EMT, having a fleet of around 2000 buses, has an impact in the mentioned problem and in the global warming. With the Strategic Plan 2017-2020, many new buses will be acquired, resulting in a fleet of natural gas, hybrid and electric vehicles by the end of 2020. The present study has the goal of being the cornerstone of a future strategic plan of the company. To this end, both external and internal analyses of the company have been conducted, which support that the electrification of the whole fleet is the best option in the long term. Furthermore, a Benchmarking of the state of the public transport in other 25 cities and the technology used in them has been conducted. Last, a model that allows replicability of this strategic assessment is proposed, in order to help other Transport Companies and City Councils to decide which transport fleet is the best to implement in their cities depending on their necessities and resources.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-293
Author(s):  
Rachel Levy-Shiff ◽  
Michael A. Hoffman ◽  
Salli Mogilner ◽  
Susan Levinger ◽  
Mario B. Mogilner

This short-term longitudinal study assessed the degree to which the frequency of fathers' visits with their preterm infants in the hospital was associated with the quality of ongoing and long-term fathering and infant development. Data on fathering and infant development were collected during the hospital stay, at discharge, at 8 months of age, and at 18 months of age, using both questionnaires and observational schedules. The frequency of visits was significantly correlated with more extensive and positive patterns of fathering at discharge and later periods. It was also associated with more positive perceptions of the infant, as well as with weight gain during hospitalization and psychosocial aspects of later infant development during the first 18 months. The discussion emphasized possible ways in which early paternal contact in the hospital might influence fathers, mothers, and infants. The frequency of paternal visits was highlighted as a variable useful in predicting high-risk parenting.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (01) ◽  
pp. 87-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serdal Albayrak ◽  
Sait Ozturk ◽  
Emre Durdag ◽  
Ömer Ayden

ABSTRACT Background: Aim of this paper is to recall the surgical technique used in the recurrent lumbar disc herniations (LDHs) and to share our experiences. Materials and Methods: Out of series of 1115 patients who underwent operations for LDH between 2006 and 2013, 70 patients underwent re-operations, which were included in this study. During surgery, lateral decompression performed over the medial facet joint to the superior facet joint border was seen after widening the laminectomy defect, and microdiscectomy was performed. The demographic findings of the patients, their complaints in admission to hospital, the level of operation, the condition of dural injury, the first admission in the prospective analysis, and their quality of life were evaluated through the Oswestry scoring during their postoperative 1st, 3rd, 6th-month and 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th-year follow-up. In the statical analysis, Friedman test was performed for the comparison of the Oswestry scores and Siegel Castellan test was used for the paired nonparametrical data. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Considering the Oswestry Index during the follow-ups, the values in the postoperative early period and follow-ups were seen to be significantly lower than those at the time of admission to hospital (P < 0.05). None of the patients, who re-operated by microdiscectomy, presented with iatrogenic instability in 7 years follow-up period. Conclusion: Microdiscectomy performed through a proper technique in the re-operation of recurrent disc herniations eases complaints and improves the quality of life. Long-term follow-ups are required for more accurate results.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10559
Author(s):  
Valeria Saiu

This paper proposes a reversal of perspective in the evaluation of Regeneration projects. Until now, attention has been mainly focused on project “internal effectiveness”, in reference to the environment and life quality improvement of the areas directly affected by the interventions. The effects induced in the wider urban context are rarely sufficiently analyzed. This aspect instead opens an important field of investigation, useful for a broader assessment of regeneration initiatives, especially with regards to Public Housing Neighborhoods where the long-term project success also depends on the positive effects it generates in the surroundings. Therefore, the aim of this research is to develop a conceptualization of “Outwards Regeneration Effects” (OREs), based on an extensive literature review, and to make it operational through a conceptual framework for the qualitative analysis. The results of this study, on the one hand, highlight several critical issues raised by the interventions implemented so far, and, on the other hand, provide a more effective assessment framework, useful in the evaluation of future projects. Further developments of such an approach could lead to the development of operational evaluation models, combining both qualitative and quantitative indicators, starting from the implementation of the proposed analytic framework.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina E Racine-Brzostek ◽  
Jim Yee ◽  
Ashley Sukhu ◽  
Yuqing Qiu ◽  
Sophie Rand ◽  
...  

Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine antibody response under real-world conditions. This longitudinal study investigated the quantity and quality of SARS-CoV-2 antibody response in 846 specimens from 350 subjects: comparing BNT162b2-vaccinated individuals (19 previously diagnosed with COVID-19 [RecoVax]; 49 never been diagnosed [NaiveVax]) to 122 hospitalized unvaccinated (HospNoVax) and 160 outpatient unvaccinated (OutPtNoVax) COVID-19 patients. NaiveVax experienced a delay in generating SARS-CoV-2 total antibody levels (TAb) and neutralizing antibodies (SNAb) after the 1st vaccine dose (D1), but a rapid increase in antibody levels was observed after the 2nd dose (D2). However, these never reached the robust levels observed in RecoVax. In fact, NaiveVax TAb and SNAb levels decreased 4-weeks post-D2 (p=0.003;p<0.001). For the most part, RecoVax TAb persisted throughout this study, after reaching maximal levels 2-weeks post-D2; but SNAb decreased significantly ~6-months post-D1 (p=0.002). Although NaiveVax avidity lagged behind that of RecoVax for most of the follow-up periods, NaiveVax did reach similar avidity by ~6-months post-D1. These data suggest that one vaccine dose elicits maximal antibody response in RecoVax and may be sufficient. Also, despite decreasing levels in TAb and SNAb overtime, long-term avidity maybe a measure worth evaluating and possibly correlating to vaccine efficacy.


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