Evaluation of Depression and Perceived Voice Handicap Through Self-Report in Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease

To assess depression and perception of vocal handicap in individuals with and without early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) using a self-report method.

It was conducted between April 2024 and June 2024 with individuals who visited the Internal Medicine Clinics of Çankırı State Hospital, including those with AD (study group: n = 41) and those without AD (with normal cognitive levels) (control group: n = 50). 41.46% (n = 17) of the study group were female, 53.54% (n = 24) were male. 56% (n = 28) of the control group were female, 54% (n = 22) were male. The Personal and Medical Characteristics Information Form, The Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) were used. For the perception of vocal handicap, participants were asked to respond to the question, "How do you describe your voice at the moment?" by choosing one of two options: good or bad, to express their opinion.

The study group scored significantly higher on the GDS than did the control group (t = (89) = 3.043, P = 0.03). Similar results were obtained in the VHI-10 scores of the two groups (t = (89) = 0.892, P > 0.05). The study group reported a worse perception in their responses to the question regarding perceived of vocal handicap (χ²(1) = 28.145, P < 0.001). A significant relationship was found between the GDS results of the study group and the perceived vocal handicap (χ²(2) = 20.246, P < 0.001). A moderate positive correlation was found between VHI-10 and GDS (r = 0.508, P = 0.001).

The voice is an important tool that individuals use for communication with their environment. While individuals with AD are at risk for depression, the current impact of the disease also affects their perception of vocal handicap. It is thought that broad-spectrum evaluations could be guiding for healthcare professionals working in geriatrics to better understand AD.