title: Self-reported voice problems among teachers: prevalence and associated factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of self-reported voice problems and to identify associated factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 393 public elementary and middle school teachers in Florianópolis, Southern Brazil, in 2009. A self-administered questionnaire was used. A multivariable Poisson regression model was performed to estimate prevalence ratios and their related 95% confidence intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of voice problems was 47.6% (95%CI 42.6;52.5). In the final adjusted analysis the following variables remained associated with a higher prevalence of voice problems: being female and the presence of rhinitis/sinusitis and pharyngitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high prevalence of self-reported voice problems was found among the teachers studied.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil. claudiabruck@gmail.com
authors.forename: Cláudia Cossentino Bruck
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Marçal
authors.forename: Marco Aurélio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Peres
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013663:Teaching; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult