Jana Škvrňáková*,** , Iva Benešová*,***, Arnošt Pellant*,**
* Faculty of Health Studies, University of Pardubice, Pardubice
** Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Pardubice Hospital, Hospital of the Pardubice Region, a.s., Pardubice
*** Department of Clinical and Radiation Oncology, Pardubice Hospital, Hospital of the Pardubice Region, a.s., Pardubice
ŠKVRŇÁKOVÁ, J. – BENEŠOVÁ, I. – PELLANT, A. Evaluation of the quality of life and voice of patients with laryngeal cancer. In Ošetrovateľstvo: teória, výskum, vzdelávanie [online], 2020, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 48-54. Available on: https://www.osetrovatelstvo.eu/archiv/2020-rocnik-10/cislo-2/hodnoceni-kvality-zivota-a-hlasu-u-pacientu-s-karcinomem-hrtanu
Aim: Evaluation of the quality of life, subjective perception of changes in voice and vocal functions using the objective methods in patients with laryngeal cancer.
Methodology: Selective quantitative survey. Data collection was performed using standardized tools (The World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire, Voice Handicap Index) and a self-designed questionnaire. The Real Voice Lab (RVL) system was used to measure the voice field objectively, the subjective patients‘ evaluation of voice was done with Voice handicap Index. The research group consisted of 30 patients with laryngeal cancer, who were at least three months after their treatment and without relapse of the disease. The exclusion criteria were the condition after total laryngectomy. The obtained data were evaluated by descriptive statistics.
Results: The quality of life was rated worse in the area of physical health (14.47). On the other hand, the quality of life was higher in the domains of experience (15.19), social relations (14.85) and the environment (15.4), when compared with the population of the given average age. The respondents rated the voice difficulties as moderate (36.3), which matched the results of the objective voice examination (RVL).
Conclusion: The quality of life was rated worse in the area of physical health when compared to the Czech population of the given average age. On the other hand, the quality of life was higher in the other domains. The objective examination of the voice corresponded to the subjective evaluation of the voice by patients. In comparison with the height and dynamic parameters of the voice fields of the Czech population, there were minimal differences in the normal volume and the loud volume; the values set for calls were significantly lower for patients. The research investigation created a methodology for objective voice examination performed by a general nurse.
Key words: vocal functions, laryngeal cancer, quality of life
Mgr. Jana Škvrňáková, Ph.D.
Fakulta zdravotnických studií Univerzity Pardubice
Jiřího z Poděbrad 2587
530 02 Pardubice
Česká republika
E-mail: jana.skvrnakova@upce.cz
Received: 10th November 2020
Accepted: 23th November 2020