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Interventions for preventing voice disorders in adults.
J H Ruotsalainen1, J Sellman, L Lehto
1Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Cochrane Occupational Health Field, Neulaniementie 4, Kuopio, Finland, 70701. jani.ruotsalainen@ttl.fi
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|October 19, 2007
Summary
Current voice training methods show no proven effectiveness in preventing voice disorders or improving vocal function. More rigorous research is needed to support interventions for at-risk populations.
Area of Science:
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Occupational Health
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Voice disorders significantly impact quality of life and can cause work absence in vocally demanding professions.
- Preventing voice disorders is crucial for maintaining well-being and professional continuity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at preventing voice disorders in adults.
- To identify evidence supporting current practices in voice disorder prevention.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Science Citation Index, OSH-ROM) up to April 2006.
- Included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and, for work-directed interventions, interrupted time series and prospective cohort studies.
- Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two authors, with meta-analysis used where appropriate.
Main Results:
- Only two low-quality RCTs involving 96 participants (53 intervention, 43 control) were identified, focusing on teachers and student teachers.
- Neither direct, indirect, nor combined voice training interventions demonstrated significant improvements in self-reported vocal functioning (Voice Handicap Index) compared to no intervention.
- One study showed a significant improvement in maximum phonation time with combined training, but no studies evaluated prevention in terms of sick leave or diagnosed voice disorders.
Conclusions:
- There is currently no robust evidence to support the effectiveness of direct, indirect, or combined voice training for preventing voice disorders or improving vocal functioning.
- The existing practice of providing voice training to at-risk populations lacks definitive evidence of efficacy.
- Larger, methodologically sound trials with relevant outcome measures are necessary to establish effective prevention strategies for voice disorders.
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