Journal of Rehabilitation Sciences & Research

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Voice Disorders in University Teaching Faculty Members: A Pilot Study

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

Zahra Ghayoumi-Anaraki 1
Hamid Heidarian-Miri 2
Shahryar Zainaee 1
Shima Rahmani 3
Fatemeh Haresabadi 4
Mahsa Effati 1
Seyede-Zahra Hosseini 1

1 Department of Speech Therapy, School of Paramedical Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 department of speech therapy, Mashhad university of medical sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

4 Department of Speech Therapy, School of Paramedical Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.30476/jrsr.2020.84361.1107
Abstract
Voice disorder is a multifactorial impairment. Several studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between voice problems and voice-related jobs. Therefore, professional voice users, including teachers, are at high risk of voice disorders, which threatens the employment positions. Also, the investigation of voice impairments among faculty members seems essential. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of voice disorders in faculty members, its impact on the physical, emotional, and functional status of this job group, with and without voice disorders, and the correlation of voice disorders with some risk factors.

Methods
The participants of this study were 114 university teaching faculty members of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, with a mean age of 43.95±0.98 years. The current cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study used a demographic questionnaire and Voice Handicap Index (VHI) as the data collection instruments. In the present study, based on VHI test results, participants with a total VHI score greater than 14.5 are considered to have voice disorders.

Results
The prevalence of voice disorders among university teaching faculty members was 27.19%. There was a significant correlation between allergy and voice disorders (P= 0.04). Significant differences were also found between the two study groups in terms of the total score of the VHI and its subscales (P <0.001).

Conclusions
Considering the 27.19% prevalence of voice disorders among university teaching faculty members and its effect on the total VHI score, our results confirm that education, prevention, and treatment programs are critical to lessen the frequency of voice disorders related to teaching. However, it has been found that this job group with voice disorders is four times more likely to have allergies than those without voice disorder, which indicates the importance of controlling this problem.

Keywords

Voice Disorders
Prevalence
Risk factors
Teaching
Faculty
 
1.  Sanssené C, Bardi J, Welby-Gieusse M. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Voice Disorders in French Tour Guides. J Voice. 2019;34(6):911-7
2.  Trinite B. Epidemiology of Voice Disorders in Latvian School Teachers. J Voice. 2017 Jul;31(4):508-e1.
3. Seifpanahi S, Izadi F, Jamshidi A-A, Torabinezhad F, Sarrafzadeh J, Sobhani-Rad D, et al. Prevalence of voice disorders and associated risk factors in teachers and nonteachers in Iran. J Voice. 2016;30(4):506. e19-. e23.
4. Roy N, Merrill RM, Thibeault S, Parsa RA, Gray SD, Smith EM. Prevalence of voice disorders in teachers and the general population. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2004.
5. Behlau M, Zambon F, Guerrieri AC, Roy N. Epidemiology of voice disorders in teachers and nonteachers in Brazil: prevalence and adverse effects. J voice. 2012 Sep;26(5):665 e9-18.
6.  Faham M, Ahmadi A, Drinnan M, Saadatmand N, Fatahi E, Jalalipour M. The effects of a voice education program on VHI scores of elementary school teachers. J Voice. 2016;30(6):755. e1-. e11.
7. Williams NR. Occupational groups at risk of voice disorders: a review of the literature. Occup. Med. 2003;53(7):456-60.
8. Jacobson BH, Johnson A, Grywalski C, Silbergleit A, Jacobson G, Benninger MS, et al. The voice handicap index (VHI) development and validation. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 1997;6(3):66-70.
9. Roy N, Merrill RM, Thibeault S, Gray SD, Smith EM. Voice disorders in teachers and the general population. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2004.
10. Ma EP, Yiu EM. Voice Activity and Participation Profile. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2001.
11.  Ahmadi F, Nasiriani K, Abazari P. Iranian Journal of Medical Education. 2008;8(1):175-85.
12.  Simberg S, Sala E, Vehmas K, Laine A. Changes in the prevalence of vocal symptoms among teachers during a twelve-year period. J Voice. 2005;19(1):95-102.
13.  Munier C, Kinsella R. The prevalence and impact of voice problems in primary school teachers. Occup. Med. 2007;58(1):74-6.
14.  Preciado-Lopez J, Perez-Fernandez C, Calzada-Uriondo M, Preciado-Ruiz P. Epidemiological study of voice disorders among teaching professionals of La Rioja, Spain. J voice : official journal of the Voice Foundation. 2008;22(4):489-508.
15.  Higgins KP, Smith AB. Prevalence and Characteristics of Voice Disorders in a Sample of University Teaching Faculty. Contemp Issues Commun Sci Disord. 2012;39. 69-75
16. Tafiadis D, Chronopoulos SK, Helidoni ME, Kosma EI, Voniati L, Papadopoulos P, et al. Checking for voice disorders without clinical intervention: The Greek and global VHI thresholds for voice disordered patients. Sci. Rep. 2019;9(1):1-9.
17. Olthoff A, Mrugalla S, Laskawi R, Fröhlich M, Stuermer I, Kruse E, et al. Assessment of irregular voices after total and laser surgical partial laryngectomy. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2003;129(9):994-9.
18. Wuyts FL, Bodt MSD, Molenberghs G, Remacle M, Heylen L, Millet B, et al. The dysphonia severity index: an objective measure of vocal quality based on a multiparameter approach. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2000;43(3):796-809.
19. Niebudek-Bogusz E, Kuzańska A, Woznicka E, Sliwinska-Kowalska M. Assessment of the voice handicap index as a screening tool in dysphonic patients. Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2011;63(5):269-72.
20.  Moradi N, Pourshahbaz A, Soltani M, Javadipour S. Cutoff point at voice handicap index used to screen voice disorders among persian speakers. J Voice. 2013;27(1):130. e1-. e5.
21. Kasper C, Schuster M, Psychogios G, Zenk J, Ströbele A, Rosanowski F, et al. Voice handicap index and voice-related quality of life in small laryngeal carcinoma. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol Suppl. 2011;268(3):401-4.
22. Simberg S, Sala E, Tuomainen J, Rönnemaa A-M. Vocal symptoms and allergy–a pilot study. J Voice. 2009;23(1):136-9.
23.  Wu J-Z, Ge D-D, Zhou L-F, Hou L-Y, Zhou Y, Li Q-Y. Effects of particulate matter on allergic respiratory diseases. Chronic diseases and translational medicine. 2018;4(2):95-102.
24. Bergmann K-C. Weather conditions and climate change have an effect on allergies. Allergo J Int. 2016;25(5):131-7.
25.  Joulaei F, Peiravi R, Esmaily H, Ketabi D, Moteallemi A. Variations of carbon monoxide and particulate matter concentration in Mashhad, Iran, during 2016. J. Community Health Res. 2017;3(3).
26.  Hemler RJ, Wieneke GH, Dejonckere PH. The effect of relative humidity of inhaled air onacoustic parameters of voice in normal subjects. J Voice. 1997;11(3):295-300.
27. Trinite B, editor The Investigation of Voice Handicap Index in Teachers with and without Self-Rated Voice Disorders. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference Volume III; 2018.
28.  Smolander S, Huttunen K. Voice problems experienced by Finnish comprehensive school teachers and realization of occupational health care. Logoped Phoniatr Vocol. 2006;31(4):166-71.
29.  Chen SH, Chiang S-C, Chung Y-M, Hsiao L-C, Hsiao T-Y. Risk factors and effects of voice problems for teachers. J voice. 2010;24(2):183-92.
 
Journal of Rehabilitation Sciences & Research
Volume 7, Issue 4
December 2020
Pages 173-177

Home

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Guide for Reviewers

Contact Us