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Journals / Balıkesir Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Volume: 15 Issue: 3

The Relationship Between Voice Handicap and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults

Agit Şimşek(İNÖNÜ ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-1572-1188
Selman Bölükbaşı(BALIKESİR ÜNİVERSİTESİ, BALIKESİR MESLEK YÜKSEKOKULU)0000-0003-3771-4827
Pages
—
Publication Date
2026-10-08
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Voice-related difficulties may have important implications not only for communication but also for overall well-being in la-ter life.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between voice handicap and life satisfaction among adults aged 60 years and older.
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Key Findings & Data:Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study included 210 older adults aged 60 ye-ars and above who were literate in Turkish and cognitively able to complete an online survey independently (female: n = 116, 55.2%; male: n = 94, 44.8%; mean age = 69.27 ± 5.65 years).
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Conclusion & Impact:Voice-related difficulties may have important implications not only for communication but also for overall well-being in la-ter life.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:older adults · voice handicap · life satisfaction

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between voice handicap and life satisfaction among adults aged 60 years and older. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study included 210 older adults aged 60 ye-ars and above who were literate in Turkish and cognitively able to complete an online survey independently (female: n = 116, 55.2%; male: n = 94, 44.8%; mean age = 69.27 ± 5.65 years). Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form, the Tur-kish Voice Handicap Index-10 (TVHI-10), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). As the data did not meet the assumptions of normality, relationships between variables were examined using Spearman’s rank correlation analysis. Group comparisons were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test. Results: The mean TVHI-10 score was 21.57 ± 9.92, while the mean SWLS score was 19.84 ± 8.26. Spearman correlation analysis revealed a significant, strong, and negative association between voice handicap and life satisfaction (rₛ = −0.68, p 0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that higher levels of perceived voice handicap are as-sociated with lower life satisfaction in older adults. Voice-related difficulties may have important implications not only for communication but also for overall well-being in la-ter life. Routine assessment of voice handicap and the implementation of appropriate in-tervention strategies should be considered within geriatric speech-language pathology practice.

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Cite This Article

Şimşek, A., Bölükbaşı, S. (2026). The Relationship Between Voice Handicap and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults. Balıkesir Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, Volume: 15 Issue: 3. https://doi.org/10.53424/balikesirsbd.2001769

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