Influence of vocal and aerodynamics aspects on the voice-related quality of life of older adults

Abstract The pursuit for quality of life urged a better understanding of aspects involved in ageing to minimize its consequences. Although many studies investigated older adults’ voice, aspects affecting this population voice-related quality of life have not yet been explored. Objective To investigate how aerodynamics and vocal aspects are associated with voice-related quality of life in older adults. Methodology fifty-six older adults aged 60 years or above – 39 women and 17 men – were evaluated. The following procedures were performed: application of the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) protocol; vocal assessment, including auditory-perceptual and acoustic analysis, from which we obtained fundamental frequency (F 0 ), standard deviation of fundamental frequency (SDF 0 ), shimmer, amplitude perturbation quotient (APQ), jitter, pitch period perturbation quotient (PPQ), and harmonics to noise ratio (HNR); aerodynamic assessment using a spirometer; and maximum phonation time (MPT) for /a/, /s/, /z/ and number counting. Results older adults tend to present high V-RQOL scores. Among women, roughness, APQ, and HNR parameters were negatively correlated with V-RQOL, whereas F 0 was positively. We found no correlation between spirometry measurements and V-RQOL. MPT for /a/, /z/, and number counting was positively correlated with V-RQOL solely among men. Conclusion Vocal roughness and acoustic parameters have a negative impact on the quality of life of older women. Respiratory aspects related to the available air support for speaking affected the most the voice-related quality of life of older men.

摘要 对生活质量的追求促使人们更深入地认识衰老涉及的各类维度，以尽可能降低衰老带来的不良影响。尽管已有多项研究围绕老年人的嗓音展开探讨，但影响该群体嗓音相关生活质量的相关因素仍未得到充分探索。
研究目的 探究气流动力学特征与嗓音参数如何与老年人的嗓音相关生活质量产生关联。
研究方法 共纳入56名60岁及以上的老年人（其中女性39名，男性17名）接受评估。具体实施流程如下：① 应用嗓音相关生活质量（Voice-Related Quality of Life, V-RQOL）量表开展测评；② 嗓音评估，涵盖听觉感知分析与声学分析，提取得到基频（fundamental frequency, F₀）、基频标准差（standard deviation of fundamental frequency, SDF₀）、振幅微扰（shimmer）、振幅扰动商（amplitude perturbation quotient, APQ）、基频抖动（jitter）、基频周期扰动商（pitch period perturbation quotient, PPQ）以及谐波噪声比（harmonics to noise ratio, HNR）；③ 采用肺量计开展气流动力学评估；④ 测试发/a/、/s/、/z/音以及数数时的最长发声时间（maximum phonation time, MPT）。
研究结果 老年人整体的V-RQOL得分普遍较高。在女性群体中，嗓音粗糙程度、APQ与HNR与V-RQOL得分呈负相关，而F₀则与V-RQOL得分呈正相关。未观察到肺量计测量指标与V-RQOL得分之间存在显著相关性。仅在男性群体中，发/a/、/z/音以及数数时的MPT与V-RQOL得分呈正相关。
研究结论 嗓音粗糙程度与声学参数会对老年女性的嗓音相关生活质量产生负面影响。与言语呼吸支持能力相关的呼吸特征，是影响老年男性嗓音相关生活质量的最主要因素。