Effect of labor conditions on quality of life and degree of dysphonia among teachers. hygienic requirements to their prevention

Abstract

The purpose of our research was to provide a general hygienic assessment of an effect produced by labor conditions on quality of life dependent on the prevalence rate of parameters that form the voice pathology, and to develop prevention recommendations. The interrelation between objective complaints and diagnosed voice pathologies was examined. 224 teachers aged ≥ 38 y. o. who participated in the study were selected based on subjective complaints and objective data. Two examined groups of teachers were formed during the preliminary survey. The first control group consisted of 30 healthy non-smoking men and 70 women. The second group included 26 men and 98 women with different voice disorders. 79% of those surveyed had voice disorders (dysphonia), and 28% had aphonia, which occurred in those surveyed 2–5 times during the academic year. Over 70% of teachers from the second group lost their voice strength, 61% complained of periodically occurring hoarse and husky voice, one third (32%) had dry cough, every fourth person (24%) complained of decreased voice pitch. The extraordinary majority of teachers (77%) associated their voice distortion with a great professional vocal load. Remote results obtained at six months after the therapeutic and preventive course of Homeovox in teachers of higher educational institutions with a voice pathology significantly confirmed life quality improvement.