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Purpose: For many transgender individuals, medical intervention is necessary to live as their desired gender. However, little is known about Contextual Factors (i.e., Environmental and Personal) that may act as facilitators and barriers in the health of transgender individuals. Therefore, this paper sought to examine Contextual Factors of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health that may facilitate or negatively impact the physical, psychological, and social functioning of transgender individuals., Methods: A literature review was conducted to identify Environmental and Personal Factors that may influence transgender individuals' physical, psychological, and social functioning. Seven electronic databases were searched. In total, 154 records were reviewed, and 41 articles and other records met inclusion criteria., Results: Three general themes emerged for Environmental Factors: family and social networks, education, and health care. Three general themes also emerged for Personal Factors: socioeconomic status, race, and age., Conclusions: Transgender individuals benefit from gender-affirming services, improved family and social support systems, and competent provider care. Educational training programs, including medical curricula or workshops, might provide the greatest benefit in improving transgender health by increasing the knowledge and cultural competency of health professionals working with this population. Given the diversity of gender expression, differences in lived experiences, and potential for enduring persistent "double discrimination" due to the intersectional relationships between socioeconomic status, race, and/or age, health professionals must approach transgender health using a holistic lens such as the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health.

Objective: To investigate voice-related quality of life in an effort to index self-assessed voice disability in speakers who use the electrolarynx and to determine the perceived level of influence of the electrolarynx on vocal communication., Study Design: Prospective study., Setting: This study was conducted at a tertiary care facility., Subjects and Methods: Forty laryngectomized adults (25 men, 15 women) who used the electrolarynx as a primary method of communication served as participants. The Voice-Related Quality of Life measure was administered and scored in standard fashion and descriptive data generated for physical, social-emotional, and total scores., Results: Data indicate substantial variability in self-perceived quality of life specific to voice use; a wide range of physical, social-emotional, and total scores were observed. Only one-quarter of these participants rated themselves as having "poor/fair" voice-related quality of life., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that use of the electrolarynx as a postlaryngectomy method of verbal communication has a wide-ranging influence on self-perceived voice-related quality of life and that mean scores from prior studies may not accurately reflect the potential value of the electrolarynx. Communication disability related to electrolarynx use does in fact vary; however, it is not uniformly poor, and some may be highly proficient users. Consequently, the Voice-Related Quality of Life measure may also serve as a useful tool for clinical documentation of rehabilitation outcomes in those who use the electrolarynx as a postlaryngectomy method of speech., (© American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify changes in NCAA Division II female athletes' objective and subjective voice characteristics before, during, and after a regular volleyball season. Method: Acoustic, aerodynamic, and Voice Handicap Index-10 data were collected from five female volleyball athletes at three timepoints: preseason, midseason, and postseason. Results: Individual data suggest increases in objective and subjective voice characteristics at midseason, but many values returned to typical limits at postseason. Increases observed in acoustic, aerodynamic, and Voice Handicap Index-10 data for the volleyball team captain remained elevated at midseason and postseason. Conclusions: Female volleyball players are a group of voice users who are required to communicate in the presence of background noise while engaging in varying levels of physical effort. As a result, they may experience negative changes to objective and/or subjective voice characteristics during a regular season. The present data, concerning changes in female volleyball athletes' voice characteristics, need to be confirmed by studies with a larger number of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the neck-type electrolarynx, describe acoustic and perceptual characteristics of electrolaryngeal speech, and highlight the potential impact of electrolaryngeal speech on voice-related quality of life postlaryngectomy, concluding by describing efforts to improve electrolaryngeal speech rehabilitation. Although several alaryngeal communication options exist, the electrolarynx is the most readily available means of producing voice and speech postlaryngectomy. This is due to the small and handheld nature of an electrolaryngeal device, which is commonly placed against the neck during use. Research suggests that approximately half of laryngectomees use an electrolarynx up to 2 years postlaryngectomy. Conclusion: Given the importance of the electrolarynx postlaryngectomy, decisions should be made in conjunction with the laryngectomee. It is important to ask: Why not an electrolarynx? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]