Psychometric assessments of life quality and voice for teachers within the municipal system, in Bauru, SP, Brazil

Studies show a high prevalence of vocal alterations among teachers. One of the criteria for the establishment of the prevalence of vocal alteration is based on teachers' self-perception. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at comparing voice-disordered quality of life measures between a group of teachers who reported vocal alteration and a group of teachers who did not, by verifying the teachers' perception regarding the impact of vocal alteration in the different dimensions of voice quality of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety-seven (97) teachers answered three psychometric protocols of voice quality of life: Voice Handicap Index (VHI), Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL), and the Voice Activity Participation Profile (VAPP), in addition to a questionnaire for characterization of the sample. RESULTS: The results were that 39.8% of the teachers reported vocal alteration. When comparing voice measures between the groups (with and without vocal alteration), statistically significant differences were observed: the total score of VHI, total score of V-RQOL and total score of VAAP and its dimensions. It was also verified that the physical dimension of VHI has a greater impact among the dimensions of this protocol. For VRQOL, the most striking dimension was the physical functioning domain, both indicating the laryngeal discomfort and the impact of voice on communication, in teachers with and without complaints. As for VAAP, no domain prevailed over the others in the group with no complaints. For teachers with complaints, three domains, i.e., daily communication, work, and emotions have a greater impact than social communication. The limitation and restriction scores were calculated as well, and it was observed the limitation of activities is greater than the restriction of activities, both in the group with and the group without complaints. CONCLUSION: One may conclude that the teachers who reported vocal alterations better realize the impact of voice in different dimensions of voice quality of life.