A comparative study of voice complaints and risk factors for voice complaints in female student teachers and practicing teachers early in their career

Abstract

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was performed to compare female student teachers (454 subjects; 1st to 4th year of training) and practicing teachers (82 female teachers; 1st to 4th year of teaching career) of primary education early in their career, with regard to risk factors perceived to be a negative influence on the voice, and the relative risk of the given risk factors for voice complaints. This enables the observation of whether there is a sudden increase or difference in the perceived risk factors after starting a professional teaching career. Additionally, the existence of a history of voice problems during training was questioned among the teachers. Teachers with voice complaints compared to teachers without voice complaints reported a history of voice complaints during their training (P =0.013). Teachers compared to student teachers reported more voice complaints at the moment and/or during the past year (P =0.002). The following data were obtained from student teachers and teachers reporting voice complaints. Only around a third of the subjects of both groups sought voice care (P =0.286-0.893). Risk factors were estimated in relation to voice complaints. Student teachers reported less frequently than teachers that stress (P =0.014), work pressure (P =0.003) and the composition of the class (P =0.013) have a negative influence on their voice. Student teachers reported less frequently than teachers that the number of people they communicate with (P <0.001) and the deterioration of their general physical condition (P =0.010) have a negative influence on their voice. Student teachers reported more frequently than teachers that environmental irritants (P <0.001) and humidity (P =0.020) of the classroom have a negative influence on their voice. Student teachers more than teachers were of the opinion that the attention paid to the voice during their training was sufficient (P <0.001). To test whether professional status (student teacher versus teacher) is an effect modifier for the risk factors, odds ratios (OR) were compared between the group of teachers and of student teachers (total group with and without voice complaints) to search for interactions between the risk factors and professional status. There is a significant difference in the pattern of risk factors for student teachers and teachers (P =0.010). There is an indication that vocal loading factors and environmental factors are more influential in student teachers and that there is a tendency for psycho-emotional factors to be more influential for teachers early in their career.

Autoavaliação vocal de professores de Santa Maria/RS

“…The literature indicates that individuals with symptoms or voice complaints, have lower levels of quality of life 33,40 , however, in respect to teachers, despite being smaller, the indexes are still within expectations 13,15,19 , showing their lack of vocal recognition and showing that this seems to be the reality of teachers in Brazil, also verified by this research.…”

“…Despite the large number of studies on teacher's vocal health in the scientific literature, the literature shows that is complex the understanding of the health-disease process of the teacher, which extends from the lack of information access during the training process, individual predisposition, the organizational and labor factors and the applicability of knowledge about vocal health in daily routine 6,20,25,33,34 . The major complaints reported by Brazilian teachers are tiredness or effort to speak, hoarseness or persistent cough, voice failures; hoarseness; shortness of breath to speak; loss of voice or hoarseness; variation in vocal utterance; tightness; weight, pain, stinging, burning or dryness in the throat 2,28,35 .…”

Well-being and associated factors among elementary school teachers in southern Brazil

“…Among these, the physical and psychosocial work-related conditions have been highly associated with physical and mental health indicators in previous studies 7,8 .…”

Opettajaopiskelijoiden äänioireet ja niiden yhteys koettuun psykososiaaliseen haittaan sekä arvioon omasta äänenlaadusta – eri opettajankoulutusalojen vertailu

“…Jopa kolmanneksella opettajaopiskelijoista äänioireita on todettu esiintyvän säännöllises-ti (mm. Fairfield & Richards, 2007;Thomas, Kooijman, Cremers & de Jong, 2006) ja viidesosalla on todettu orgaanisia eli elimellisiä muutoksia ääntöelimistössä (Simberg, 2004, s. 25). Opettajaopiskelijoilla on todettu esiintyvän enemmän äänioireita kuin muilla opiskelijoilla (Simberg, Sala & Rönnemaa, 2004), ja opiskeluaikaisten äänioireiden on todettu viittaavaan suurempaan riskiin kokea äänioi-reita myös myöhemmin työelämässä (Thomas ym., 2006).…”