Voice Disorder: case definition and prevalence in teachers

Abstract

Several studies have shown a high prevalence of voice disorders among teachers. However, it is difficult to establish comparisons among the results found given the great variability among criteria and symptoms used to define the presence of vocal alteration, in addition to the variations in the composition of the populations studied (age, gender, origin, working schedule, profession, among others). This study aims to discuss the need for a standard definition of functional voice disorder and possible implications of the lack of such a standard definition on estimating the prevalence of functional voice disorders among teachers. A systematic bibliographic review on voice disorders in teachers was carried out as of 1990 in the Medline, Scielo, Ovid, Pubmed and Lilacs databases. Of the 3,186 citations, 15 fulfilled the inclusion criteria to discuss prevalence of vocal disorder in teachers. Nine articles defined vocal disorder based solely on the presence of vocal symptoms, which varied in relation to type, number, frequency, and reference period. Hoarseness and vocal tiredness were mentioned in all studies that evaluated vocal symptoms. Only three studies reported prevalence based on professional examination. Prevalence rates varied according to reference period and frequency of symptoms. The results ratified the importance of standardizing the case definition of voice disorder in order to better study and understand its occurrence and to compare prevalence obtained from different populations and along time in the same population. Standardized definitions should include laryngeal alterations observed in later phases of voice disorder as well as signs and symptoms present in phases previous to organic alterations, when they are potentially reversible.

Distúrbio de voz e estresse no trabalho docente: um estudo caso-controle

“…A principal dificuldade metodológica, neste estudo, foi conceituar caso 27 , definição de crucial importância em estudos caso-controle. A variável dependente -distúrbio de voz -é uma manifestação dinâmica e funcional, o que impossibilita uma definição dicotômica entre doença e não doença 28 .…”

Relação entre autoavaliação vocal e dados da avaliação clínica em indivíduos disfônicos

“…In Brazil most part of researches performed with the questionnaires quoted above has focus in the self-assessment specific group results, as for voice professionals' category or diverse pathology carriers [11][12][13][14][15] . In some cases, the data collection meet the subjects, which not necessarily have a voice disturb and/or sought for speech language pathology help 11,12 .…”

Absenteísmo por distúrbios da voz em professores: revisão da literatura, 2005-2015

“…Sabe-se que o impacto do problema de voz na qualidade de vida do professor está relacionado a uma gama de efeitos provocados pelo cansaço vocal, piora da qualidade vocal, afastamento da carreira, relacionamento ruim com os alunos e restrições da criatividade e da autonomia 29 . A gravidade dos distúrbios da voz também foi identificada por um dos autores 4 , não sendo inesperada a falta ao trabalho, uma vez constatada a incapacidade nessa situação que limita as atividades rotineiras, incluindo as tarefas pedagógicas.…”