Self-reported voice problems among teachers: prevalence and associated factors
Cláudia Cossentino Bruck Marçal1, Marco Aurélio Peres
1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil. claudiabruck@gmail.com
Objective:
To estimate the prevalence of self-reported voice problems and to identify associated factors.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 393 public elementary and middle school teachers in Florianópolis, Southern Brazil, in 2009. A self-administered questionnaire was used. A multivariable Poisson regression model was performed to estimate prevalence ratios and their related 95% confidence intervals.
Results:
The prevalence of voice problems was 47.6% (95%CI 42.6;52.5). In the final adjusted analysis the following variables remained associated with a higher prevalence of voice problems: being female and the presence of rhinitis/sinusitis and pharyngitis.
Conclusions:
A high prevalence of self-reported voice problems was found among the teachers studied.
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