The epidemiology of dysphonia in the aging population.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The expanding elderly population continues to exert profound effects on the United States healthcare delivery system. This review summarizes the epidemiology of dysphonia in the aging population as well as its impact on quality of life and the emerging challenges of managing elderly patients with voice disorders.

RECENT FINDINGS: Although often underreported, dysphonia is present in as many as one in three elderly patients. The differential diagnosis for dysphonia in an aging patient is broad, and multifactorial causes are common. In the elderly, dysphonia exerts significant adverse effects on quality of life and often occurs against a background of multiple chronic medical conditions, polypharmacy, hearing loss, dysphagia, and neurologic disease. Recent data have demonstrated that elderly patients respond well to both surgical and nonsurgical treatments for voice disorders.

SUMMARY: Elderly patients and medical providers, as well as families and caregivers, must be educated about the prevalence of dysphonia in the aging population, its psychosocial impact, and available treatment options. Optimizing the care of voice disorders is essential to maximizing quality of life in aging patients.