Voice-Related Occupational Hazards in Military Drill Instructors, A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Laryngology
• Military Medicine

Background:

• Drill instructors (DIs) are an understudied group regarding vocal injuries, unlike teachers and singers.
• This review synthesizes global evidence on occupational voice hazards for DIs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map existing evidence on the prevalence, causes, risk factors, prevention, and treatment of vocal injuries in DIs.
• To identify gaps in research and clinical practice concerning DI voice health.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review of English-language studies was conducted across four major databases.
• Seven studies involving 805 subjects were included after screening 5137 records.
• Data extraction and screening were performed by two independent reviewers.

Main Results:

• Dysphonia prevalence in DIs ranged widely from 42% to over 95%.
• Videostroboscopy revealed structural lesions missed by acoustic measures, indicating underdiagnosis.
• Cultural reluctance to seek care and absence of prevention strategies were noted.

Conclusions:

• DIs are a high-risk professional voice-user population with significant vocal injury rates.
• Current diagnostic methods and lack of preventive measures likely underestimate the true extent of vocal pathology.
• Future research should focus on longitudinal studies, better screening, and intervention strategies to preserve military training capabilities.