Voice-Related Symptoms Among School Teachers in Tamil Nadu, India: Associations with Demographic, Occupational, and...

Teaching requires prolonged and intense voice use, making teachers vulnerable to voice-related symptoms. Although international evidence is strong, limited data are available from Tamil Nadu on how demographic, occupational, and preventive factors influence these symptoms.

To examine the relationship between voice-related symptoms and demographic, occupational, and preventive factors among school teachers in Tamil Nadu, India.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in government and private schools across Tamil Nadu between June 2023 and June 2024.

Four hundred full-time teachers, including general educators, special educators, physical education instructors, and language/subject specialists, participated. A structured questionnaire collected information on demographic details, teaching profile, self-reported voice symptoms, and voice-care practices.

Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Associations between variables were tested using Pearson's Chi-square test, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05.

More than half of the participants (57.8%) reported vocal tiredness at the end of the teaching day. Voice changes during the academic year were reported by 42.9%, and 21.8% experienced a voice problem lasting longer than two weeks in the previous year. Preventive voice-care behaviors were reported by 53.5%, and 68.3% consumed water regularly while teaching. Vocal tiredness was significantly associated with age (χ²=8.92, P = 0.03), gender (χ²=6.72, P = 0.01), educator category (χ²=8.21, P=0.04), and class size (χ²=6.41, P = 0.04). Preventive practices differed significantly by school sector (χ²=6.50, P = 0.01).

Voice-related symptoms are common among teachers in Tamil Nadu. Younger age, female gender, physical education teaching, and larger class sizes increase risk, highlighting the need for structured vocal health promotion in schools.