A Scoping Review of Voice-Related Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Korea

Abstract

Background and Objectives The purpose of this study is to provide a resource for clinicians and researchers regarding voice-related patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) available in the Korean Language.Subjects and Method A systematic search for Korean voice-related PROMs was conducted in December 2021. The search used five electronic databases, including PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Science Direct, Research Information Sharing Service, DataBase and Periodical Information Academic. Furthermore, reference lists from PROMs-related articles and voice-related journals were independently searched. Search terms emphasized “voice disorders,” “patient-reported,” and “instruments” both in English and Korean. Three independent investigators screened the electronic search results for relevance and selected articles based on the study’s inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results A total of 164 studies assessing Korean voice-related PROMs were identified, and this list was narrowed to 14 PROMs based on the predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Fourteen voice-related PROMs validated in Korean were selected for a comprehensive review and were categorized as general voice handicap measures, symptom-oriented measures, socioemotional measures, and quality of life measures. Additionally, the characteristics of each of the fourteen Korean voice-related PROMs were summarized in evidence tables.Conclusion A total of fourteen Korean voice-related PROMs are available for clinical and research use; however, care must be taken when clinicians and researchers consider which instrument(s) to use. The current review provides a useful summary and could serve as a guide for future systematic reviews on Korean voice-related PROMs.