The Copenhagen Neck Functional Disability Scale: an analysis of singers with dysphonia and without vocal complaints

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze and compare the degree of cervical disability in singers with dysphonia and in singers without self-reported vocal complaints. Methods: A cross-sectional observational analysis. Sixty-two singers participated in the study: Thirty-two singers without vocal complaints and 30 singers with a speech-language pathology and otorhinolaryngological diagnosis of dysphonia. For singers without vocal complaints, two questionnaires were applied via Google Forms: A three-question questionnaire regarding vocal complaints and how each singer perceived their speaking and singing voice, and the Copenhagen Neck Functional Disability Scale (CNFDS). Data on singers with dysphonia were extracted from a database previously collected by a team of researchers at the speech-language pathology department of the Federal University of Minas Gerais. The difference in data collection methodology between the two groups was due to restrictions presented by the coronavirus pandemic. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the two groups, at a significance level of 5%. Results: There was a significant difference between the groups (p=0.0001), demonstrating that singers with dysphonia suffered more from cervical pain and discomfort than singers without vocal complaints. Conclusion: Singers with dysphonia have more cervical pain and discomfort than singers without vocal complaints, thus presenting with greater cervical disability.