Pediatric Voice Handicap Index(pVHI)に基づく小児用音声障害の自覚的評価尺度の作成

Measuring quality of life in pediatric dysphonia: Development and reliability of the Japanese version of the Pediatric Voice Handicap Index(pVHI)

　目的：小児用音声障害自覚的評価尺度(Pediatric Voice Handicap Index：pVHI)をもとに学童用と保護者用の日本語版評価尺度試案を作成し，その有用性について検討を行った．研究協力者：国内5都市の総合病院耳鼻咽喉科外来に通院中の音声障害学童21名と非音声障害で中国地方の小学校3年生以上の学童106名，計127名の学童と保護者に実施した．両群間の学童の年齢や性別人数に有意な差は認められなかった．分析方法：信頼性については，内的整合性を示すCronbachのα係数を用いた．有用性は，音声障害群と非音声障害群で得点間の有意差検定を行った．結果：学童用のCronbachのα係数は0.92，保護者用のCronbachのα係数は0.93であった．また，学童用，保護者用で音声障害群と非音声障害群間で得点に有意差が認められた．結論：pVHIの学童用も保護者用日本語版も有用性が認められた．

　The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability and usefulness of the Japanese version of the pVHI for school children and their parents. Participants were 21 school children with dysphonia treated in ENT clinics in five areas of Japan and 106 school children without dysphonia in Okayama prefecture. The pVHI was administered to all these 127 school children and their parents. The groups of children with and without dysphonia did not differ with respect to the male/female ratio or mean age. Reliability of the pVHI was measured through Cronbach's alpha of internal consistency. Usefulness was assessed through the extent to which the pVHI predicted the presence or absence of dysphonia. Cronbach's alpha of the pVHI was 0.92 for the 127 school children and 0.93 for their parents. There were significant differences between the dysphonic and non-dysphonic group in the pVHI. In conclusion, the Japanese version of the pVHI showed a high level of reliability and the presence or absence of dysphonia can be predicted through using the pVHI.