title: Vocal Hygiene Habits and Vocal Handicap Among Conservatory Students of Classical Singing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to assess classical singing students' compliance with vocal hygiene practices identified in the literature and to explore the relationship between self-reported vocal hygiene practice and self-reported singing voice handicap in this population. The primary hypothesis was that increased attention to commonly recommended vocal hygiene practices would correlate with reduced singing voice handicap.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional, survey-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous survey assessing demographics, attention to 11 common vocal hygiene recommendations in both performance and nonperformance periods, and the Singing Voice Handicap Index 10 (SVHI-10) was distributed to classical singing teachers to be administered to their students at two major schools of music.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 215 surveys distributed, 108 were returned (50.2%), of which 4 were incomplete and discarded from analysis. Conservatory students of classical singing reported a moderate degree of vocal handicap (mean SVHI-10, 12; range, 0-29). Singers reported considering all 11 vocal hygiene factors more frequently when preparing for performances than when not preparing for performances. Of these, significant correlations with increased handicap were identified for consideration of stress reduction in nonperformance (P = 0.01) and performance periods (P = 0.02) and with decreased handicap for consideration of singing voice use in performance periods alone (P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Conservatory students of classical singing report more assiduous attention to vocal hygiene practices when preparing for performances and report moderate degrees of vocal handicap overall. These students may have elevated risk for dysphonia and voice disorders which is not effectively addressed through common vocal hygiene recommendations alone.
authors: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Center for Human Experimental Therapeutics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York.
authors: Meredith A
authors: MA
authors: Achey
authors: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors: Mike Z
authors: MZ
authors: He
authors: Johns Hopkins Voice Center, Johns Hopkins Otolaryngology, Baltimore, Maryland. Electronic address: lakst1@jhmi.edu.
authors: Lee M
authors: LM
authors: Akst
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063346:Singing; D013334:Students; D014833:Voice Quality; D014834:Voice Training; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dysphonia; Singer; Vocal handicap; Vocal hygiene; Voice handicap