Article
A discussion of the evidence based approach in research of the singing voice
Eine Diskussion der Evidenz-basierten Annäherung an die Erforschung des Singens
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Published: | September 5, 2006 |
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Outline
Abstract
A summary of two Cochrane reviews on voice is presented:
The first review focuses on surgical versus non surgical vocal fold nodules.
Using the methods of the Cochrane collaboration there is no evidence documenting the effects of surgical removal of vocal nodules. There is a lack of prospective randomized studies with adequate control groups and follow-up.
The second review focuses on acid reflux treatment for hoarseness.
Even if a few studies were found with the correct research model the critics and reason for non-acceptance by the Cochrane collaboration was that the amount of patients in the different groups was too small, this means that the power of the studies was insufficient.
This kind of research is very expensive. A directive is suggested in the European Union deviding institutes of phoniatrics and pedo audiology in two groups: clinical versus clinical plus research institutions.
Text
Introduction
A hypothesis of the influence of the voice related musicality level of the listener on the clinical evaluation of the GRBAS test, on a mixed blinded presentation of all kinds of voices, at the same time, has earlier been made. Only strain was evaluated with the same scores by 3 experienced listeners, who had different results of the test of musicality (called Wøldike test).
Of course the natural talent and the (musical) training here cannot be differentiated. The hypothesis was that qualifications of the listeners of more and more difficult tonal reproductions of given tone jumps would affect the results of GRBAS test scores, and this hypothesis was underlined in the results.
The Wøldike test, used for inclusion in the Royal Danish boys choir has been studied earlier, also systematically in brain damaged people.
No research documents that musicality of the listener does not affect singing and speech in the same way. That is why objective evidence in the science of singing is AS necessary as in the science of overall hoarseness versus normality. The aspect is even more necessary for advice of patients with e.g. cochlear implants.
Material and Results
An attempt has been made to evaluate the studies in the literature of the most frequent diagnoses of pathology in the larynx:
A summary of two Cochrane reviews on voice is presented.
The first review focuses on surgical versus non surgical vocal fold nodules.
Using the methods of the Cochrane collaboration there is no evidence documenting the effects of surgical removal of vocal nodules. There is a lack of prospective randomized studies with adequate control groups and follow-up.
No evidence was found of voice tests and objective acoustic measures.
The second review focuses on acid reflux treatment for hoarseness.
Even if a few studies were found with the correct research model the critics and reason for non-acceptance by the Cochrane collaboration was that the amount of patients in the different groups was too small, this means that the power of the studies was insufficient. No evidence was found of voice and language tests, scores or objective measures.
Conclusion
This kind of research is very expensive. A directive has earlier been suggested in the European Union dividing institutes of phoniatrics and paedoaudiology in three groups with defined functions: basic-, optimal- clinical institutions and research + clinical institutions with relevant funding.