ABSTRACT
Objectives: We sought to determine the effectiveness of a voice care program among primary school teachers in a northeastern district in Malaysia
Methods: We conducted a randomized community trial in eight primary schools in a northeastern district in Malaysia. The self-administered and validated Malay-Voice Handicap Index-10 [M-VHI-10] questionnaire was used to assess overall voice handicap scores pre-intervention and eight weeks post-intervention. Teachers with a score of five or more [n = 86] were randomized into intervention [n = 41] and control groups [n = 45]. The intervention group received portable voice amplifiers and vocal hygiene instruction, which was delivered by lectures and a booklet. The control group was not prescribed any intervention
Results: The sociodemographic, lifestyle, and occupational characteristics of the teachers [except maximum number of students per class] were similar between both groups. The baseline M-VHI-10 scores between both groups were also comparable. After the intervention phase, there was a significant effect observed in the total M-VHI-10 scores [p = 0.021, F-stat [df]: 5.33 [1,79]] between both groups after controlling for the maximum number of students per class
Conclusions: Our results support the use of voice amplification in adjunct with vocal hygiene instruction as a prevention and treatment modality to reduce voice handicap among teachers. Our study demonstrated encouraging evidence on the low-cost voice care program as well as the success of group and workplace-based approaches in the school setting