Abstract
ABSTRACT Purpose: to describe the perception of university professors regarding their use of voice at work. Methods: a total of 247 higher education professors participated in this study. They answered a questionnaire on voice complaints, in which three complaints or more were considered indicative of a voice disorder. After the professors with a potential voice disorder were identified, a conversational interview was conducted with five professors to learn more on their perceptions on the use of voice at work. The study was approved by the research ethics committee of the institution of origin. The data were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. Results: the age group 20 to 30 years old was the one that most presented voice problems. The most recently hired professors (up to five years of work), with a 40-hour weekly workload, were those who most reported voice complaints. The professors had a good perception of their voice and demonstrated good knowledge about it. Conclusion: although voice complaints were prevalent, the professors proved to be aware of how to take care of their voices.
Highlights
Occupational voice users are those who depend on their voice to work and are negatively impacted if their voice is changed
This study aimed to identify the most reported voice symptoms and describe how university professors perceive the use of voice in their work
The analysis revealed that the age group with most voice symptoms is 20 to 39 years old and that such symptoms are reported mostly by female professors
Summary
Occupational voice users are those who depend on their voice to work and are negatively impacted if their voice is changed. The professionals who most use their voice to work are teachers and professors[1,2,3]. The voice is important to make possible the teachers’ and professors’ work. They are expected to project well their voice, with precise articulation, pneumophonoarticulatory coordination, good sonority, and adequate rhythm and speed, delivering a proper oral communication[2,4]. Teachers and professors have two to three times more complaints of dysphonia than other professionals, which evidences that teaching is an occupation with a high risk of this affection[5,6]
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