Voice Disorders in Teachers: Prevalence, Risk Factors, Psycho-social Impact. Summary of the Doctoral Thesis

Abstract

Voice disorders are the most common challenge in teacher’s profession. The results of survey provided in 2007–2008 showed that teachers had unsufficient knowledges about professional voice use and hygiene. Most of teachers hadn’t any knowledges about voice at all. The doctoral study is based in the urgency of topic. The title of doctoral study is „Voice disorders in teachers: prevalence, risk factors and psycho-social effect”. Aim of the study is to investigate a prevalence of voice disorders in a population of teachers of Latvia, to analyse voice risk factors, and to determine effects of voice disorders to individual. The study has five parts: (1) The adaptation and aprobation of Voice Handicap Index in Latvian; (2) The prevalence of voice disorders in population of teachers of Latvia; (3) Risk factors for voice problems in teachers; (4) The effect of voice disorders to functional, physical, and emotional conditions of teachers; (5) Voice characteristics of teachers with and without voice disorders and non-teachers. The systemical review about voice disorders, practical methods of evaluation of voice function, prevalence of voice disorders in teachers, etiology of voice disorders, and effects of voice disorders to functional, physical, and emotional conditions of individual is given in the theoretical part of thesis. Quantitative and qualitative research methods is used during the study. Objective evaluation of voice function was done in the Speech and Voice Researh Laboratory. This laboratory was developed during the research. The obtained data indicated that prevalence of voice disorders in the population of teachers of Latvia is high. 66.7% of teachers of Latvia have voice problems. The findings of study confirmed a multifactorial aetiology of voice disorders and their impact on the physical wellbeing of individual. The results of the study confirms objectively reasonable changes in aerodynamic, acoustic, and auditory-perceptual parameters of voice in teachers with voice disorders. The Voice Handicap Index was adapted and aprobated in Latvian during the study. At present the VHI is only one psychometrically validated voice assessment tool in Latvia. The Questionnaire of Voice Risk Factors was developed and validated during the study. A basic protocol for functional assessment of voice pathology recommended by European Laryngological Society was aprobated during this study first time in Latvia.