Actions in vocal health: a proposal for improving the vocal profile of teachers.
BACKGROUND
several authors have pointed to the urgent need of researches and actions involving teachers, in the school environment, that have a preventive and vocal health promotion character with the purpose of improving work conditions.


OBJECTIVE
to analyze the vocal complaints, laryngeal symptoms, vocal habits and vocal profile of teachers of a public school before and after their participation in voice workshops.


METHODS
the study was divided in different steps: 1st step - closed interview, larynx and perceptive-auditory assessment in which 42 teachers were evaluated; 2nd step - voice workshops; 3rd step - perceptive-auditory reassessment in which 13 teachers were evaluated.


RESULTS
73% of the subjects presented vocal complaints; 57.14% presented mild to moderate hoarseness, 78.57% presented breathiness and 52.38% vocal tension. Evaluation of the larynx indicated that 75.86% of the subjects presented glottal gaps and 34.48% mucous thickening. After the voice workshops a significant difference was observed in the level of vocal tension, both in the analysis of the /e/ vowel and in the analysis of Spontaneous Speech (p = 0.0277 for p > 0.05 for both). Improvement was observed in vocal care and in the understanding of intervening and determinant factors for vocal alterations, which are present in the teaching environment.


CONCLUSIONS
health actions, such as voice workshops, are important to trigger changes in the work environment as well as in the health of teachers.
Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba, Universidade de Campinas, Brasil. kelly.silverio@utp.br
Kelly Cristina Alves
KC
Silverio
Claudia Giglio de Oliveira
CG
Gonçalves
Regina Zanella
RZ
Penteado
Tais Pichirilli Guilherme
TP
Vieira
Aline
A
Libardi
Daniele
D
Rossi
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007830:Larynx / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D013663:Teaching; D014831:Voice / Q000502:physiology*; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014834:Voice Training; D016526:Workload