A General Survey of Pharynlaryngeal Diseases and Voice Disorders Among Basic Education Teachers in Tianjin

Abstract

ObjectiveIn this study, we created a city-wide database of pharyn-laryngeal diseasess and voice disorders among basic education teachers to analyze the incidence, distribution, and risk factors of Pharyn-laryngeal diseases and voice disorders. MethodsA total of 47,823 teachers in primary and secondary schools and kindergartens of Tianjin were enrolled in this study and underwent questionnaires and throat examinations. In addition, the data were subjected to descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. ResultsPharyn-laryngeal diseases and voice disorders had an overall prevalence of 69.42% among basic education teachers in Tianjin, wherein the prevalence of chronic pharyngitis, chronic hyperplastic laryngitis, and chronic simple laryngitis were the highest at 39.45%, 19.80%, and 15.59%, respectively. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis suggest that pharyn-laryngeal diseases and voice disorders were statistically correlated with gender (P<0.001), years of teaching (P<0.001), school district (P<0.001), class size (P<0.001), subjective assessment of teachers on vocal loudness (P<0.001), neck and shoulder discomfort (P<0.001), smoking (P<0.001), psychological stress (P=0.002), and frequent habitual throat clearing (P<0.001). Furthermore, the risk factors for pharyn-laryngeal diseases and voice disorders were age (P=0.002), school district (P<0.001), class size (P=0.008), neck and shoulder discomfort (P=0.038), smoking (P<0.001), water intake habits during class (P=0.023), and frequent habitual throat clearing (P=0.001) for male teachers and for female teachers it was age (P<0.001), school district (P<0.001), daily teaching hours (P=0.005), class size (P<0.001), subjective assessment of teachers on vocal loudness (P<0.001), neck and shoulder discomfort (P<0.001), smoking (P=0.033), psychological stress (P=0.003), and frequent habitual throat clearing (P<0.001). ConclusionDue to the high prevalence of pharyn-laryngeal diseases and voice disorders among basic education teachers, throat and voice health education-related activities should be conducted for teachers, to intervene in the occurrence of pharyn-laryngeal diseases and voice disorders at an early stage.