A Preliminary Exploration of Vocal Usage in Prospective Professional Voice Users (PPVUs): Students of the Alimah Course

Abstract

Students of the Alimah degree are Prospective Professional Voice Users whose career involves teaching, preaching, and conducting religious activities. For them, a cultured and efficient voice is an important prerequisite for a successful career. This study aimed to explore vocal usage and knowledge of voice care among students pursuing the Alimah course. To check the period prevalence of voice problems among the students during the Alimah course, understand communication, and voice usage in daily situations, understand their lifestyle, assess their knowledge about voice and voice care through a self-reporting questionnaire. The data were obtained from 150 undergraduate students pursuing the Alimah degree in and around Nagapattinam and Thanjavur districts of Tamil Nadu, India, through a self-reporting questionnaire. The students pursuing the course were at a high risk for developing voice problems, with a period prevalence of 70%. Excessive vocal load, inappropriate diet, phonotraumatic behaviours and limited knowledge of voice care were found to be the threats to voice problems among the population. This population with a high prevalence rate of voice problems should be studied further. The authors suggest including lessons on vocal enhancement methods and voice care in the course curriculum of the Alimah degree.