Ozra Aghadoost - PhD student in Speech Therapy ,Department of speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Maryam Khodami - Associate professor of otolaryngology,Otorhinolaryngology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ahmadreza Khatoonabadi - Associate professor of otolaryngology,Otorhinolaryngology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Peyman Dabirmoghaddam - Associate professor of otolaryngology,Otorhinolaryngology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Summary: Objectives/Hypothesis: Nowadays, life quality of populations is used as a framework to present services congruent with different life aspects and allocation of resources and is regarded as a major health index. The aim of this study is to compare the quality of life and voice handicap index in patients suffering from vocal mass lesions and healthy individuals.Study Design: This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of samples of patients with vocal mass lesion (n=40) and healthy individuals (n=40). The research was performed in Tehran, Iran. Professional background information was obtained through interviews and quality of life was measured using the SF-36 and voice handicap index with VHI . Comparison was made between the study groups in order to analyze the data.Results: The mean age of patients was 42.2(SD = 7.9). There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to their professional background. However, significant differences were observed between the two groups in 6 subscales of SF-36 including physical and social functioning, role limitations due to either physical or emotional problems, general health and vitality(p <0.05) also in total and subscale of VHI.Conclusion: The results showed that patients with voice disorder (vocal mass lesions) suffer from poor health-related quality of life and voice related quality of life. This finding emphasizes the need of multilateral assessment and treatment of voice disorders in speakers with voice disorders.

quality of life, handicap, index, voice disorders, vocal mass lesion, patient, healthy