Vocal Health in SLPs: Easier Said Than Done

Area of Science:

• Speech-Language Pathology
• Occupational Health
• Vocal Health

Background:

• Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are professional voice users who advocate for vocal hygiene.
• Understanding SLPs' adherence to vocal hygiene is crucial for their own vocal health and professional practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the extent of vocal hygiene behaviors among SLPs.
• To evaluate vocal hygiene levels in SLPs.
• To determine the level of vocal fatigue experienced by SLPs.

Main Methods:

• An online survey assessed healthy vocal behaviors in 120 participants (student and professional SLPs) in Türkiye.
• The Voice Fatigue Index measured vocal fatigue levels.
• Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and various inferential tests (e.g., Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, ANOVA).

Main Results:

• 40.8% of participants reported being careful about vocal health.
• No significant difference in vocal hygiene behavior compliance was found between student and professional SLPs.
• Both groups reported high vocal fatigue, with significantly higher scores among professional SLPs (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• SLPs, regardless of experience level, face challenges in fully implementing vocal hygiene practices.
• High vocal fatigue levels in SLPs suggest a disconnect between knowledge and practice.
• Recommendations include SLPs regulating living conditions to better adhere to vocal hygiene behaviors.