Influence of abusive vocal habits, hydration, mastication, and sleep in the occurrence of vocal symptoms in teachers.

Some vocal disorders in teachers are associated with occupational factors, but there are few studies that analyze the influence of vocal habits, fluid intake, mastication, and sleep on these disorders. The objective was to analyze the occurrence of vocal fatigue, hoarseness, and dry throat in elementary and high school teachers and their association with vocal habits, fluid intake, mastication, and sleep. A sample of 422 elementary and secondary school teachers was studied using a specific questionnaire. The multiple regression analysis showed that hoarseness was associated with absence of water intake (odds ratio (OR)=1.7; P=0.047), yelling/speaking loudly (OR=1.6; P=0.058), jaw-opening limitations (OR=3.8; P=0.003), average of 6 hours of sleep/night (OR=1.7; P=0.039), and waking-up feeling replenished (OR=2.0; P=0.020). The presence of vocal fatigue was significantly associated with yelling/speaking loudly (OR=2.2; P=0.013), speaking excessively (OR=2.4; P=0.023), difficulty to open the mouth to masticate (OR=6.6; P=0.003), less than 6 hours of sleep (OR=4.0; P=0.008), and waking-up feeling replenished (sometimes OR=2.8; P=0.003; or never OR=3.3; P=0.002). The presence of dry throat was associated with being a former smoker (OR=3.3; P=0.011) and having jaw-opening limitations (OR=3.9; P=0.021). In recent years, speech and hearing interventions with teachers have focused on health-care promotion actions and prevention of vocal disorders, prioritizing issues related with hydration and healthy vocal use habits. However, the findings in the present study show the need to further focus on lifestyle habits related to sleep and eating habits.

Condiçöes de produçäo vocal de professores da Prefeitura do Município de Säo Paulo / Conditions of vocal production among the teachers of the town hall of Säo Paulo

Uma amostra de 422 professores, de um total aproximado de 32 mil respondeu a um questionário de 87 questöes com o objetivo de conhecer as condiçöes de produçäo vocal dos professores do município de Säo Paulo. Os resultados mostraram que os professores säo , na sua maioria, mulheres, com mais de nove anos de magistério, com uma média de idade entre 29 a 49 anos, sem orientaçäo vocal, que falam muito, apresentam em média de dois sintomas vocais e porcentagem alta, 60 por cento, de referência, atual ou do passado, de alteraçäo vocal