Self-reported voice problems and contributing factors in a Francophone population of professional and student teachers and nurses

Abstract

Context: We explored the relation between work related factors, health practices, personality traits and stress-coping strategies and self-reported voice problems in a population of 354 student teachers (ST), 344 professional teachers (PT), 147 student nurses (SN) and 104 professional nurses (PN). Method: An online survey was conducted. Beside an anamnestic questionnaire to collect data about voice problems, work environment, health practices the VHI-10 was used to quantify voice symptoms, the Big Five-10 to explore personality traits, and the WCC-27 to explore stress coping strategies. Results: The prevalence of self-reported voice problems was significantly higher in ST as compared to SN (23% vs 14%, p = 0.025) and in PT versus PN (24% vs 12%, p = 0.08). VHI scores were significantly higher for subjects self-reporting a voice problem and significantly higher in the professional than the student groups, with PT with self-reported voice problems having the highest scores (Mean = 22.34 SD = 0.635) p<0.001. An ANOVA shows that 55% of the variance of the VHI scores is explained by the status of the subject (ST/PT/SN/PN), (F(3,945) = 382.156, p<0.001). A linear regression shows that 43% of the variance of the VHI scores was explained by Amount of private voice use, Conscientiousness, Extraversion and Emotion centered coping scores (F(4,830) = 159.201,p<0.001).