title: Epidemiological study of voice disorders among teaching professionals of La Rioja, Spain.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to calculate the prevalence and incidence of voice disorders among teaching staff and find out the associated occupational risk factors. A case-control study was performed with 905 teachers, 579 cases and 326 controls; 492 were randomly selected and 413 volunteered. All teachers were asked to fill out a standard questionnaire. Next, a complete laryngeal exam was performed including a general ear, nose, and throat evaluation and videolaryngostroboscopy. The prevalence of voice disorders among teaching staff was 57%. The most prevalent lesions were vocal overstrain (18%), nodular lesions (14%), and hyperfunctional dysphonia (8%). The incidence rate was 3.87 new cases per year per 1000 teachers. Women had organic lesions three times more than men (odds ratio [OR]: 3.52, confidence interval [CI]: 2.04-6.09). However, men had chronic laryngitis three times more than women (OR: 2.93, CI: 1.50-5.71) and functional dysphonia nearly twice more than women (OR: 1.81, CI: 1.21-2.69). We find a significant risk of suffering voice disorders in teachers who smoke daily (OR: 2.31, CI: 1.58-3.37) and who drink several cups of coffee or tea (OR: 1.87, CI: 1.36-2.56). It is advisable to carry out an annual evaluation of all teaching staff on account of the high prevalence of voice disorders among them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital San Millán, San Pedro y de La Rioja, Logroño, Spain.
authors.forename: Julián
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Preciado-López
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pérez-Fernández
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calzada-Uriondo
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Preciado-Ruiz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013663:Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*