Voz, qualidade de vida e autoavaliação vocal de professores do ensino fundamental de Santa Maria/RS

Abstract

Objective:describe and correlate the auditory perceptual and acoustic measures, vocal self-assessment, vocal complaints, gender and professional characteristics of professors at Santa Maria city (RS/Brazil). Methods: participated in the study professors of elementary school at Santa Maria (RS/Brazil), aged between 20 and 66 years. It was held the vocal auditory perceptual analysis by CAPE-V scale and acoustics through the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program Advanced by Kay Pentax®. Have been applied protocols of vocal self-assessment and quality of life related to voice, Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS), Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and Voice-Related Quality of Life (VRQL), a questionnaire containing data identification, the overall health, occupational and vocal complaints, and statistical tests ANOVA and Pearson correlation. Results: 114 professors of both genders worked on average 6,96h hours a day, for about 12,7 years and the majority had vocal complaints (72,8%). There was an association between vocal self-assessment scales and presence of vocal complaints. The VoiSS and VHI showed positive correlation and negative correlation was observed of both protocols in relation to VRQL. The group of females (99) worked on average 6,98 hours a day, hath, on average, 12,91 years; 74,7% had vocal complaints. The auditory perceptual parameters were normal, at the acoustic analysis, all measures for disturbance of frequency (jitter), disturbance of amplitude (shimmer), deaf segments or unvoiced and sub-harmonics showed above the normal range as well as standard deviation of the fundamental frequency and soft phonation index.It was observed correlation between increase of disturbance frequency and increase of age, decrease in amplitude disturbance according increase in daily use of the voice, increased roughness, breathiness and overall degree of voice according to increasing age and duration of professional activities of professors.Conclusion:The group of professors of both genders work on average 6,96 hours a day, works as a professor for about 12,7 years and presents vocal complaints contrasting with a good quality of life related to voice. Professors with complaints showed higher occurrence of vocal symptoms, greater voice handicap index and lower quality of life in voice, with a higher occurrence of vocal symptoms in females. TheVoiSS and VHIshowed positive correlation and negative correlation was observed of both protocols in relation to VRQL, showing that are complementary. Regarding the group of female teachers, their voice was considered normal for auditory perceptual evaluation, but there was noise detection and instability in acoustic analysis, with the predominance of vocal complaints, as well as alteration of auditory perceptual and acoustic measures with increasing age and professiontime.