Analysis and evaluation of a voice-training program in future professional voice users.

Area of Science:

• Laryngology
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Occupational Voice Use

Background:

• Professional voice users require specialized voice training and vocal hygiene education.
• Evaluating the long-term effectiveness of voice interventions is crucial for optimizing vocal health.
• Existing vocal hygiene programs may not adequately address detrimental daily habits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of a comprehensive voice-training program.
• To evaluate the impact of vocal hygiene education on daily habits.
• To determine the optimal duration for voice training program effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A 2-year voice-training program involving lectures, workshops, and coaching for 23 professional voice users.
• Application of the European Laryngological Society (ELS) protocol, including Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) and Voice Handicap Index (VHI), at baseline, 9, and 18 months.
• Administration of a daily habits questionnaire at the start and after 18 months.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) at 9 months (P=0.005), but not at 18 months (P=0.2).
• Perceptual voice evaluation remained unchanged at 9 months, showing significant improvement after 18 months.
• Daily habit questionnaire revealed persistent high prevalence of smoking, vocal abuse, stress, and late meals, unaffected by educational interventions.

Conclusions:

• A well-structured voice-training program demonstrates effectiveness, particularly after 9 months.
• Current vocal hygiene education strategies appear insufficient in modifying detrimental daily habits among professional voice users.
• Revision of vocal hygiene program concepts is necessary to enhance their practical impact.