title: Subjective evaluation of voice and working conditions and phoniatric examination in kindergarten teachers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the prevalence of voice problems in kindergarten teachers and investigated some background factors affecting vocal health.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and nineteen female kindergarten teachers volunteered by responding to an Internet questionnaire on voice habits, voice symptoms, and the amount of negative impact various working conditions may have on their voices. Phoniatric examination was carried out with a rigid laryngoscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the subjects, 71.5% reported frequent strain on the voice (monthly or more often), and 56.3% reported hoarseness without infection. Eighty-six percent reported that when their voice got tired during the working day it recovered quite well, well or remarkably well by the next day. Noise at work was considered most detrimental to the voice. Clear organic findings were observed in 10.9% of the cases and did not correlate with subjective voice symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results confirmed earlier findings that a remarkable number of kindergarten teachers suffer from voice problems and consider noise in the environment especially to be harmful to their voices. However, the majority reported recovering well from vocal symptoms. Further studies are needed on individual speech habits, working day-related voice evaluation, recovery time and work-environmental factors. A follow-up is warranted to identify the main factors leading to voice problems.
authors: Speech and Voice Research Laboratory, School of Education, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. elina.kankare@uta.fi
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Kankare
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Geneid
authors: A-M
authors: AM
authors: Laukkanen
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Vilkman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009093:Mucus; D009623:Noise, Occupational; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching; D014741:Video Recording; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014833:Voice Quality; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult