Una aplicación mHealth para autoinforme de síntomas de disfonía: e-VoiSS

Introduction

The global assessment of voice requires not only objective measures but also self-reported information. Numerous self-report scales have been developed in paper-and-pencil format to measure different aspects of voice-related quality of life. Currently, the mHealth approach advocates for the use of new technologies at all stages of healthcare intervention. This study has developed an Android application for the Voice Symtomps Scale (VoiSS) scale. It is intended for voice professionals and aims to facilitate its application in clinical contexts for the assessment of potential symptoms of dysphonia. Additionally, the application has been evaluated by experts to ensure its proper utility and suitability for the evaluative purpose.

Method

The MIT App Inventor 2 tool was used for programming and images were designed using the online platform Canva, employing the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) criteria. Furthermore, a group of experts evaluated the application's feasibility and usability using a questionnaire based on the criteria proposed in the MARS and Enlight usability scales, specifically tailored for this study.

Results

The initial version of the e-VoiSS application was developed, including the psychometrically validated version of the VoiSS scale for Spanish. The experts rated various aspects of the application above 4 points on average (out of 5). Some of their suggested proposals were incorporated.

Conclusions

The e-Voiss app provides voice professionals with a tool for assessing vocal symptoms. Developed from the validated paper-and-pencil version of the VoiSS scale in Spanish and evaluated by a group of experts, it is an easy and quick-to-use application for clinical and research contexts.