Correlação entre Desvantagem Vocal e Qualidade de Vida de Cantores Populares

Abstract

Research aiming to investigate the correlation between vocal handicap index and quality of life in popular singers. Cross-sectional analytical study. Participants were popular singers who work in the city of Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. The interviews were carried out with the application of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-bref (WHOQOL-bref), Modern Singing Handicap Index (MSHI) and a sociodemographic and professional profile questionnaire for popular singers, prepared for this research. We included popular singers of both sexes and aged between 18 and 60 years; with or without vocal complaints; professional and non-professional singers who sing any genre of popular music. Those with a time of less than one year and those who acted exclusively as choristers or in vocal groups were excluded. The sample consisted of 206 participants. There was a negative, significant and predominantly weak correlation between MSHI and WHOQOL-bref, indicating that the lower vocal handicap was correlated with the better quality of life of popular singers. The WHOQOL-bref scores were 68.78; 70.13; 69,34 and 60,82 for the physical, psychological, social relations and environment domains, respectively. The scores reveal averages closer to 100, which suggests a perception of better quality of life and health. The IDCM scores were 8.96; 6.02 and 10.90 for the disability, handicap and defect subscales, respectively, and 25.88 for the total. Singers with higher income, older than 40 years and absence of vocal complaints presented higher scores of self-perception of quality of life and lower perception of vocal handicap. This study indicates the importance of considering the complexity, the multidimensionality and the subjectivity of the human being in the construct of the quality of life and also evidences the need of actions in attention to the health of popular singers, with approaches for the promotion to the general health and in the prevention of diseases, by Speech Therapy and other areas of health.The study also reinforces the importance of the application of instruments of self-perception of vocal handicap and quality of life in singers to help in choosing better ways for rehabilitation. The construction of a population-specific instrument should be considered.