Download PDF
CC BY 4.0 · Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2024; 28(03): e374-e381
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1777417
Original Research

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Occupational Voice Disorders in Nepalese Teachers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Apar Pokharel 
1   Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medical Sciences, Chitwan district, Province Number: 3, Nepal
,
Puspa Basnet
2   Department of Public Health, College of Medical Sciences, Chitwan district, Province Number: 3, Nepal
,
Bibek Sharma
1   Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medical Sciences, Chitwan district, Province Number: 3, Nepal
,
Hari Prasad Upadhyay
3   Department of Community Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, Chitwan district, Province Number: 3, Nepal
› Author Affiliations Funding The author(s) received no financial support for the research.
› Further Information
Also available at
   Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Introduction Teachers are a high-risk group for the development of vocal dysfunction, as they use voice extensively in their profession.

Objective To know the prevalence and risk factors associated with voice strain in teachers.

Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among schoolteachers in Chitwan, Nepal. The Voice Handicap Index questionnaire was used as a survey tool.

Result A total of 315 teachers were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the participants was of 36.7 years. Teachers from public schools, primary grade classes, > 50 pupils in the classroom, > 24 hours of classes per week, dust in class, and recurrent tonsil problems were associated with various degrees of vocal handicap.

Conclusion There is a high prevalence of voice disorder among teachers. A holistic approach, which includes teacher education regarding voice care during their work and management of their voice handicap by taking into consideration different risk factors, must be adopted.

Keywords

school teachers - voice disorder - voice fatigue

Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 15 July 2022

Accepted: 12 March 2023

Article published online:
12 April 2024

© 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda.
Rua do Matoso 170, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20270-135, Brazil

 

  • References

  • 1 Servilha EAM, Pereira PM. Condições de trabalho, saúde e voz em professores universitários. Rev Cienc Méd 2008; 17 (01) 21-31
    Google Scholar
  • 2 Menon UK, Raj M, Antony L, Soman S, Bhaskaran R. Prevalence of Voice Disorders in School Teachers in a District in South India. J Voice 2021; 35 (01) 1-8
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 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; 47 (02) 281-293
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Joshi AA, Mukundan P, Dave VJ, Bradoo RA, Dhorje NR. Prevalence of Voice Disorders in Indian Female Secondary School Teacher Population-A Cross Sectional Study. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2022; 74 (Suppl. 02) 2324-2330
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Szeszenia-Dabrowska N, Wilczyńska U, Szymczak W, Pepłońska B. [Occupational diseases in Poland, 2003]. Med Pr 2004; 55 (04) 299-306
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Smith E, Kirchner HL, Taylor M, Hoffman H, Lemke JH. Voice problems among teachers: differences by gender and teaching characteristics. J Voice 1998; 12 (03) 328-334
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Thibeault SL, Merrill RM, Roy N, Gray SD, Smith EM. Occupational risk factors associated with voice disorders among teachers. Ann Epidemiol 2004; 14 (10) 786-792
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Assunção AÁ, Bassi IB, de Medeiros AM, Rodrigues Cde S, Gama ACC. Occupational and individual risk factors for dysphonia in teachers. Occup Med (Lond) 2012; 62 (07) 553-559
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 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 (01) 95-102
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Charn TC, Mok PKH. Voice problems amongst primary school teachers in Singapore. J Voice 2012; 26 (04) e141-e147
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Cantor Cutiva LC, Vogel I, Burdorf A. Voice disorders in teachers and their associations with work-related factors: a systematic review. J Commun Disord 2013; 46 (02) 143-155
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 de Medeiros AM, Barreto SM, Assunção AA. Voice disorders (dysphonia) in public school female teachers working in Belo Horizonte: prevalence and associated factors. J Voice 2008; 22 (06) 676-687
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 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 (02) 183-190 , quiz 191–192
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Jacobson BH, Johnson A, Grywalski C, Silbergleit A, Jacobson G, Benninger MS. The Voice Handicap Index (VHI): development and validation. Am J Speech Lang Pathol 1997; 6: 66-70
    CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Sliwinska-Kowalska M, Niebudek-Bogusz E, Fiszer M. et al. The prevalence and risk factors for occupational voice disorders in teachers. Folia Phoniatr Logop 2006; 58 (02) 85-101
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Gotaas C, Starr CD. Vocal fatigue among teachers. Folia Phoniatr (Basel) 1993; 45 (03) 120-129
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Preciado J, Pérez C, Calzada M, Preciado P. [Frequency and risk factors of voice disorders among teaching staff of La Rioja, Spain. Clinical study: questionnaire, function vocal examination, acoustic analysis and videolaryngostroboscopy]. Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 2005; 56 (04) 161-170
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Ubillos S, Centeno J, Ibañez J, Iraurgi I. Protective and risk factors associated with voice strain among teachers in Castile and Leon, Spain: recommendations for voice training. J Voice 2015; 29 (02) 261.e1-261.e12
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Devadas U, Bellur R, Maruthy S. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Voice Problems Among Primary School Teachers in India. J Voice 2017; 31 (01) 117.e1-117.e10
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Tavares ELM, Martins RHG. Vocal evaluation in teachers with or without symptoms. J Voice 2007; 21 (04) 407-414
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Alves LP, Araújo LTR, Xavier Neto JA. Prevalência de queixas vocais e estudo de fatores associados em uma amostra de professores de ensino fundamental em Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil. Rev Bras Saúde Ocup 2010; 35: 168-175
    CrossrefGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Radosz J. The influence of classroom acoustics on the level of background noise in selected Polish primary schools. In: INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings. Institute of Noise Control Engineering; 2012: 2325-2335
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Ranchal Sánchez A, Vaquero Abellán M. Protocolo para la vigilancia de la salud del profesorado con atención a la enfermedad profesional. Med Segur Trab (Madr) 2008; 54 (211) 47-60
    Google Scholar
  • 24 Tejeda P. Importancia de la voz en la profesion docente. Indivisa: boletı'n de estudios e investigacion: Monografı'a I [The importance of the voice in the teaching profession]. Madrid, Spain: Escuela Universitaria La Salle; 2001: 109
    Google Scholar
  • 25 Russell A, Oates J, Greenwood KM. Prevalence of voice problems in teachers. J Voice 1998; 12 (04) 467-479
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Ritter FN. The effect of hypothyroidism on the larynx of the rat. An explanation for hoarseness associated with hypothyroidism in the human. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1964; 73: 404-416
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Gill C, Morrison MD. Esophagolaryngeal reflex in a porcine animal model. J Otolaryngol 1998; 27 (02) 76-80
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Shrestha S. Chitwan becoming popular educational hub. MyRepublica. 2019 July 4
    Google Scholar