Voice Disorders in Teachers and the General Population
Top Cited Papers
- 1 June 2004
- journal article
- Published by American Speech Language Hearing Association in Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
- Vol. 47 (3), 542-551
- https://doi.org/10.1044/1092-4388(2004/042)
Abstract
To examine the frequency and adverse effects of voice disorders on job performance and attendance in teachers and the general population, 2,401 participants from Iowa and Utah ( n 1 =1,243 teachers and n 2 =1,279 nonteachers) were randomly selected and were interviewed by telephone using a voice disorder questionnaire. Teachers were significantly more likely than nonteachers to have experienced multiple voice symptoms and signs including hoarseness, discomfort, and increased effort while using their voice, tiring or experiencing a change in voice quality after short use, difficulty projecting their voice, trouble speaking or singing softly, and a loss of their singing range (all odds ratios [ORs] p <.05). Furthermore, teachers consistently attributed these voice symptoms to their occupation and were significantly more likely to indicate that their voice limited their ability to perform certain tasks at work, and had reduced activities or interactions as a result. Teachers, as compared with nonteachers, had missed more workdays over the preceding year because of voice problems and were more likely to consider changing occupations because of their voice (all comparisons p <.05). These findings strongly suggest that occupationally related voice dysfunction in teachers can have significant adverse effects on job performance, attendance, and future career choices.This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
- Prevalence of Voice Disorders in Teachers and the General PopulationJournal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 2004
- Three Treatments for Teachers With Voice DisordersJournal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 2003
- Voice Amplification Versus Vocal Hygiene Instruction for Teachers With Voice DisordersJournal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 2002
- A comparison of the occurrence and nature of vocal symptoms in two groups of Icelandic teachers.Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology, 2002
- The impact of impaired vocal quality on children's ability to process spoken languageLogopedics Phoniatrics Vocology, 2001
- Prevalence of voice problems in teachersJournal of Voice, 1998
- Vocal problems among teachers: a review of prevalence, causes, prevention, and treatmentJournal of Voice, 1998
- Frequency and effects of teachers' voice problemsJournal of Voice, 1997
- Prevalence of vocal symptoms among teachers compared with nurses: A questionnaire studyScandinavian Journal of Logopedics and Phoniatrics, 1992
- Acoustic Conditions for Speech Communication in ClassroomsScandinavian Audiology, 1991