|
KMID : 1036820180230020414
|
|
Communication Sciences & Disorders
2018 Volume.23 No. 2 p.414 ~ p.424
|
|
|
Voice Problems and Self-Care Practice for Vocal Health: Current Status of Korean Speech-Language Pathologists
|
|
Kim Ji-Sung
Choi Seong-Hee
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
Objectives: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have significant demands on their vocal use and their voice problems have a negative impact on their clinical performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate voice problems and self-care among Korean SLPs.
Methods: A total of 187 SLPs completed on online or offline survey and then the data was analyzed. The questionnaire addressed experiences with voice-related problems, knowl-edge and practice of vocal hygiene, vocal overuse and misuse, and the Voice Handicap In-dex-10 (VHI-10).
Results: About 33% of SLPs had subjective chronic voice problems, about 50% had voice symptoms of vocal fatigue, hoarseness, and hypertension when speaking. Although the majority of SLPs had knowledge regarding vocal hygiene, lower self-evalua-tion experiences related to voice use and vocal hygiene practice were reported. With re-spect to the most common reason for voice problems, SLPs answered ‘voice overuse and misuse’ (60.2%) and ‘voice use habits’ (45.4%). SLPs also reported ‘attention and effort’ (55.1%) as the main reason for difficulty with voice hygiene practice. SLPs with subjective voice problems showed significant higher voice symptom ( p =.00), overuse and misuse ( p =.001), VHI-10 ( p =.00), and lower voice hygiene practice ( p =.026) than SLPs without subjective voice problems. Voice overuse and misuse and VHI-10 were correlated with voice symptoms ( p =.00).
Conclusion: The voice problems of SLPs may originate from physical fa-tigue of the phonatory mechanism. SLPs showed a lack of vocal hygiene and vocal health self-care. A vocal hygiene program tailored to individual SLP’s specific conditions, along with active self-care practice should be established to reduce vocal fatigue and help SLPs achieve vocal health.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Vocal Hygiene, Voice-related experiences, Self-reported voice symptom
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|
|