Influence of abusive vocal habits, hydration, mastication, and sleep in the occurrence of vocal symptoms in teachers.
Some vocal disorders in teachers are associated with occupational factors, but there are few studies that analyze the influence of vocal habits, fluid intake, mastication, and sleep on these disorders. The objective was to analyze the occurrence of vocal fatigue, hoarseness, and dry throat in elementary and high school teachers and their association with vocal habits, fluid intake, mastication, and sleep. A sample of 422 elementary and secondary school teachers was studied using a specific questionnaire. The multiple regression analysis showed that hoarseness was associated with absence of water intake (odds ratio (OR)=1.7; P=0.047), yelling/speaking loudly (OR=1.6; P=0.058), jaw-opening limitations (OR=3.8; P=0.003), average of 6 hours of sleep/night (OR=1.7; P=0.039), and waking-up feeling replenished (OR=2.0; P=0.020). The presence of vocal fatigue was significantly associated with yelling/speaking loudly (OR=2.2; P=0.013), speaking excessively (OR=2.4; P=0.023), difficulty to open the mouth to masticate (OR=6.6; P=0.003), less than 6 hours of sleep (OR=4.0; P=0.008), and waking-up feeling replenished (sometimes OR=2.8; P=0.003; or never OR=3.3; P=0.002). The presence of dry throat was associated with being a former smoker (OR=3.3; P=0.011) and having jaw-opening limitations (OR=3.9; P=0.021). In recent years, speech and hearing interventions with teachers have focused on health-care promotion actions and prevention of vocal disorders, prioritizing issues related with hydration and healthy vocal use habits. However, the findings in the present study show the need to further focus on lifestyle habits related to sleep and eating habits.
Ferreira
Leslie Piccolotto
LP
Department of Foundations to Speech and Hearing Therapy, PUC-SP (Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo), School of Speech and Hearing Therapy and Post-Graduation Program in Speech and Hearing Therapy, São Paulo, Brazil 05048-080. lesliepf@pucsp.br
de Oliveira Latorre
Maria do Rosario Dias
Mdo R
Pinto Giannini
Susana Pimentel
SP
de Assis Moura Ghirardi
Ana Carolina
AC
de Fraga e Karmann
Delmira
D
Silva
Eliana Egerland
EE
Figueira
Silmara
S
D000328:Adult; D004327:Drinking Behavior; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D006685:Hoarseness; D006801:Humans; D007568:Jaw; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D008875:Middle Aged; D012890:Sleep; D012907:Smoking; D013060:Speech; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D014867:Water / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
D014867:Water