Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10): Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Azerbaijani-Turkish Version.

OBJECTIVES

There is no suitable Azerbaijani-Turkish scale for assessing the Voice Handicap Index. This study aimed to adapt the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) to Azerbaijani-Turkish and evaluate its validity and reliability through cross-cultural adaptation.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional and prospective validation design was adopted.

METHODS

The VHI-10 was translated and culturally adapted into Azerbaijani-Turkish using the standard forward-backward translation method. The study involved 196 participants, 82 and 114 participants with and without voice disorders, respectively. Validity assessments included content validation conducted by five experts, face validity established through pretesting interviews with 20 voice patients, and construct validity achieved by comparing scores between groups with and without voice disorders. Criterion validity was determined by correlating Azerbaijani-Turkish version of the VHI-10 (AT-VHI-10) scores with Azerbaijani-Turkish Version of the Voice-Related Quality of Life (AT-VRQOL) results, while discriminant validity was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and cutoff points. The internal consistency of the AT-VRQOL was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability was evaluated by having 30 participants (20 with vocal disorders and 10 without) complete the questionnaire twice at 2-week intervals.

RESULTS

The face and content validity were strong. Differences in the AT-VHI-10 scores between participants with and without voice disorders were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The construct validity results showed substantial differences in the scores between the two groups (P < 0.001). The criterion validity results showed that the total score of AT-VHI-10 with the AT-VRQOL results is correlated (r = 0.78, P < 0.001). The AUC value from the receiver operating characteristic curve was 100. The optimal cutoff point was 2.50, with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 71%. The AT-VHI-10 had high internal consistency, indicating excellent reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.94). The total AT-VHI-10 scores obtained from the two administrations of the test-retest reliability were examined. It was found that there was a high degree of correlation between the scores obtained in the two administrations (r = 0.98, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The AT-VHI-10 is a valid, reliable, and sensitive tool for evaluating vocal handicap among Azerbaijani-Turkish speakers.