Speech therapy strategies to promote the vocal health of teachers: integrative literature review

Abstract

Objective: To identify the speech therapy strategies used to promote vocal health to teachers of early childhood, elementary and high school, participating in programs/actions for prevention and promotion of vocal health, as well as to describe and analyze their effects through an integrative literature review. Methods: An integrative review was conducted, which consisted of searches in the Lilacs, SciELO, and Medline databases. Inclusion criteria were complete articles available online in any language and year of publication that addressed strategies for promoting vocal health and preventing disorders in the target population, used in vocal health programs/actions with teachers. Results: Of the 624 articles that were included, six were selected to compose the study. It was possible to verify that the most used resources were educational strategies, through programs of guidance and attention to the teacher's vocal health. The results of the interventions were analyzed using self-assessment questionnaires, some of which have been standardized, with validation and adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese. Among practical strategies, exercises involving semi-occluded vocal tract, breathing, relaxation, resistance, and vocal projection, as well as vocal warm-up and cool-down, were the most used. Conclusions: Vocal health programs present diversified strategies, such as time and results analysis. The accurate study allowed to verify that the programs are effective and allow better vocal performance to the teacher, notably, through direct and indirect strategies.