Patients' Perceptions of and Attitudes Toward Voice Therapy: A Pilot Study

Patient perceptions of the therapeutic process have been shown to influence outcomes in various healthcare fields. However, the voice therapy literature lacks a thorough examination of patients' perceptions of the voice therapy process. This cross-sectional pilot study analyzed patient perceptions of voice therapy across four different areas: patient understanding of therapy, the home therapy program, perception of improvement of symptoms, and prioritization of therapy. The study included patients receiving voice therapy for various disorders (n = 49). Results showed significant differences by patient age and the number of therapy sessions completed. Patients indicate increased understanding (P = 0.0676) and appeared to notice more improvement as therapy progressed (P = 0.010). Younger patients indicate higher adherence to their home program (P < 0.001, P = 0.003). Additionally, correlations were found between patient understanding and the extent to which they prioritize therapy (r = 0.53, P < 0.001) and the extent to which patients notice improvement (r = 0.51, P < 0.001). This study highlights possible age and gender differences and the ways in which perceptions may change over time and affect outcomes.