Auditory vocal analysis and factors associated with voice disorders among teachers

• Published in: Revista brasileira de epidemiologia 2011-06, Vol.14 (2), p.285-295
• Main Authors: de Ceballos, Albanita Gomes da Costa, Carvalho, Fernando Martins, de Araújo, Tânia Maria, Dos Reis, Eduardo José Farias Borges
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; por
• Subjects: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Faculty; Female; Humans; Male; Occupational Diseases - diagnosis; Voice Disorders - diagnosis; Voice Quality; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1980-5497

Teachers are professionals who demand much of their voices and, consequently, present a high risk of developing vocal disorders during the course of employment. To identify factors associated with vocal disorders among teachers. An exploratory cross-sectional study, which investigated 476 teachers in primary and secondary schools in the city of Salvador, Bahia. Teachers answered a questionnaire and were submitted to auditory vocal analysis. The GRBAS was used for the diagnosis of vocal disorders. The study population comprised 82.8% women, teachers with an average age of 40.7 years, teachers with higher education (88.4%), with an average workday of 38 hours per week, average 11.5 years of professional practice and average monthly income of R$1.817.18. The prevalence of voice disorders was 53.6%. (255 teachers). The bivariate analysis showed statistically significant associations between vocal disorders and age above 40 years (PR = 1.83; 95% CI; 1.27-2.64), family history of dysphonia (PR = 1.72; 95% CI; 1.06-2.80), over 20 hours of weekly working hours (PR = 1.66; 95% CI; 1.09-2.52) and presence of chalk dust in the classroom (PR = 1.70; 95% CI; 1.14-2.53). The study concluded that teachers, 40 years old and over, with a family history of dysphonia, working over 20 hours weekly, and teaching in classrooms with chalk dust are more likely to develop voice disorders than others.