title: Describing Speech Usage in Daily Activities in Typical Adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  "Speech usage" refers to what people want or need to do with their speech to meet communication demands in life roles. The purpose of this study was to contribute to validation of the Levels of Speech Usage scale by providing descriptive data from a sample of adults without communication disorders, comparing this scale to a published Occupational Voice Demands scale and examining predictors of speech usage levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a survey design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults aged ≥25 years without reported communication disorders were recruited nationally to complete an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Levels of Speech Usage scale, questions about relevant occupational and nonoccupational activities (eg, socializing, hobbies, childcare, and so forth), and demographic information. Participants were also categorized according to Koufman and Isaacson occupational voice demands scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 276 participants completed the questionnaires. People who worked for pay tended to report higher levels of speech usage than those who do not work for pay. Regression analyses showed employment to be the major contributor to speech usage; however, considerable variance left unaccounted for suggests that determinants of speech usage and the relationship between speech usage, employment, and other life activities are not yet fully defined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Levels of Speech Usage may be a viable instrument to systematically rate speech usage because it captures both occupational and nonoccupational speech demands. These data from a sample of typical adults may provide a reference to help in interpreting the impact of communication disorders on speech usage patterns.
authors: Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors: Laine
authors: L
authors: Anderson
authors: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. Electronic address: cbaylor@uw.edu.
authors: Carolyn R
authors: CR
authors: Baylor
authors: Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors: Tanya L
authors: TL
authors: Eadie
authors: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors: Kathryn M
authors: KM
authors: Yorkston
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D012016:Reference Values; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013060:Speech; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014831:Voice
keywords: Occupational voice; Speech demands; Voice demands