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Teachers' Work Conditions, Voice Disorders, and Mental Health During Remote and In-Person Teaching Amid COVID-19
Priscila Cristine Santos1, Adriane Mesquita de Medeiros1, Ana Carolina Constantini2
1Department of Speech Therapy, Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Journal of Voice : Official Journal of the Voice Foundation
|August 26, 2025
Summary
Teachers experienced more voice disorders during remote teaching and upon returning to in-person instruction. Common mental disorders were higher during remote learning, with noise and dust exacerbating voice issues in both settings.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Public Health
- Education
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated shifts between remote and in-person teaching, impacting educators' working conditions.
- Understanding the health consequences for teachers during these transitions is crucial for developing supportive interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare working conditions, voice disorders, and mental health issues in teachers during emergency remote teaching versus in-person teaching.
- To identify risk factors for voice disorders in both teaching modalities.
Main Methods:
- An observational, comparative, cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted with Brazilian basic education teachers.
- Data were collected via online questionnaires assessing sociodemographics, work conditions, voice disorders (Screening Index for Voice Disorder), and mental health (General Health Questionnaire-12).
- Two participant groups were analyzed: 263 during remote teaching and 69 upon returning to in-person teaching.
Main Results:
- Voice disorders were prevalent in both remote and in-person teaching, with higher frequency during remote learning. Common mental disorders were more prevalent during remote teaching.
- Exposure to noise (constant, intense), dust, shouting, and excessive talking was more frequent upon returning to in-person teaching.
- Teachers with voice disorders lasting over 3 months or more than 12 months showed increased risk in both teaching periods.
Conclusions:
- Voice disorders were more frequent during emergency remote teaching, while common mental disorders were higher in this period. Upon returning to in-person teaching, environmental factors like noise and dust became more prominent.
- The duration of voice disorders is a significant risk factor for their persistence across different teaching environments.
- Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to mitigate occupational health risks for teachers in diverse educational settings.
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