Vocal Sensory Symptoms, Vocal Fatigue and Vocal Habits in University Professors

Abstract

Purpose: To identify vocal sensory symptoms, vocal fatigue, and vocal habits, compare and correlate them in university professors who have passed or failed a screening related to vocal symptoms.

Study design: Cross-sectional, quantitative, non-randomized study.

Methods: The professors responded to four vocal self-assessment Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROM): the Brazilian validated version of the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS), the Brazilian version (not validated) of the Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale, the Brazilian validated version of the Vocal Fatigue Index and the validated version of the Vocal Health and Hygiene Questionnaire ("Questionário de Saúde e Higiene Vocal - QSHV," in Portuguese). After the PROM's application, the professors were divided into two groups from the VoiSS cutoff point. G1 was formed by professors who passed in the VoiSS screening, that is, those who achieved a total score below 16 points, and G2, formed by professors who failed, that is, those who achieved 16 points or more. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the values of PROM between G1 and G2 groups, and the Spearman correlation test was used to correlate the PROM with one another.

Results: One hundred and two professors filled in the PROM, 23 from G1 and 79 from G2. Results showed that the total scores of all PROM used exceeded their cutoff scores in the overall sample. It was also observed that professors who failed the screening through VoiSS presented higher scores of vocal sensory symptoms and vocal fatigue, however no differences regarding knowledge on vocal health and hygiene were noticed. In G1, the protocols showed significant correlations ranging from moderate to very strong with one another, but the QSHV showed no correlation with any of the instruments. In G2, the protocols presented weak to strong correlation ratios, and the QSHV reported correlation with all protocols, except for Vocal Fatigue Index.

Conclusion: University professors presented scores higher than the cut-off point suggested by the literature for vocal sensory symptoms, vocal fatigue and knowledge on vocal health and hygiene. Professors who failed the screening performed through VoiSS achieved higher scores of vocal discomfort and fatigue, but also presented a high score for knowledge on vocal hygiene. There was a moderate to very strong statistical correlation among the vocal symptoms, discomforts, vocal fatigue and vocal habits in professors who failed the screening through VoiSS, however among those professors who passed the screening, knowledge on vocal health and hygiene showed no correlation with the PROM analyzed.

Keywords: Dysphonia—Faculty—Fatigue—Signs and symptoms—Speech-language pathology—Voice.