Relationship between vocal symptoms in college students and their possible causes

Introduction: Studies to understand the vocal profile of a population are important to plan collective health measures. The prevalence of vocal symptoms can be indicative of vocal disorder and must be investigated to support measures to prevent vocal diseases. Aim: To characterize vocal symptoms in college students and their possible causes, and to analyze the association between hoarseness, vocal fatigue, phlegm, and burning in the throat with the possible causes mentioned. Method: Prospective study of 517 students who answered a questionnaire about their general heath and vocal symptoms and causes. We used the study of proportions, measures of central tendency, and a chi-square test to associate the presence of symptoms and possible causes. Results: Symptoms most often mentioned: dry mouth (21%), dry throat (18.2%), phlegm (17.9%). Causes most often cited: high respiratory disease (39%), intense voice use (24%), smoking (24%). Hoarseness was associated with heavy use of voice and high respiratory disease; vocal fatigue with intense voice use, stress, and digestive problems; burning in the throat with intensive voice use, high respiratory disease, and pollution; phlegm with smoking, and upper respiratory and digestive problems. Conclusion: Not only do aspects of health and the voice interfere with its production, the external environment and habits influence the vocal symptoms of this population as well...

Coral amador: efeitos de uma proposta de intervenção fonoaudiológica / Amateur choir: the effect of speech therapy intervention

OBJETIVO: verificar os efeitos de uma proposta de intervenção fonoaudiológica com base na prática educativa, por meio de avaliação de fonoaudiólogos, professores de canto e dos próprios coristas amadores participantes, analisando, em momento pré e pós-intervenção fonoaudiológica, os parâmetros de respiração, projeção e tessitura vocal na voz cantada. MÉTODOS: o programa teve o referencial teórico de ZABALA (1998) sobre a prática educativa. Dez cantores de coral amador responderam a um questionário de caracterização e realizaram gravações da extensão vocal e canto, pré e pós-intervenção. Durante seis encontros, foi abordado o aquecimento vocal, anatomia e fisiologia da voz cantada, bem-estar vocal, respiração e propriocepção da voz. As gravações foram analisadas por juízes fonoaudiólogos e professores de canto, que avaliaram a respiração, projeção e tessitura vocal. Os coristas, sem acesso às gravações, realizaram auto-avaliação dos mesmos parâmetros. RESULTADOS: avaliação dos juízes: tessitura vocal teve mais alterações positivas, seguida da respiração e projeção vocal. Todos os parâmetros tiveram mudanças significantes (p < 0,01). Fonoaudiólogos analisaram a tessitura vocal mais de acordo com o esperado, professores de canto consideraram a projeção, e a respiração apresentou dados equivalentes estatisticamente. Os resultados por sujeito mostraram que dois cantores apresentaram melhoras em todos os parâmetros analisados e sete deles, em pelo menos dois deles. Os cantores perceberam melhoras em todos os aspectos. CONCLUSÃO: a intervenção teve efeitos positivos nos coristas e mostrou a necessidade de realizar estudos que avaliem o processo em si, a fim de se valorizar a atuação do fonoaudiólogo na voz cantada.

PURPOSE: to check the effects of a speech therapy intervention, based on the educational practice, by the assessment of speech and language pathologists, singing teachers and amateur choral singers themselves, analyzing the parameters of breathing, projection and vocal range profile in singing voice, pre and post speech therapy intervention. METHODS: the program was the theoretical framework of Zabala (1998) on educational practice. Ten amateur choral singers responded to a characterization questionnaire and conducted recordings of vocal range and singing, pre and post intervention. During six meetings, we approached warm up, anatomy and physiology as for the singing voice, vocal health, breathing and voice perception. The recordings were analyzed by judges (speech therapists and singing teachers) that assessed breathing, projection and vocal range profile. The choristers, without access to the recordings, made self-assessment of those parameters. RESULTS: evaluation of judges: vocal range had more positive changes, followed by breathing and vocal projection. All parameters had significant changes (p <0.01). Speech therapists analyzed the vocal range more in line with expectations, singing teacher considered the projection, and breathing data showed results statistically equivalent. The results by subject showed that two singers had improvements in all parameters and seven of them, at least, in two of the parameters. The singer's perception showed improvements in all aspects. CONCLUSION: the intervention had positive effects on the choir and showed the need for studies that may evaluate the process itself, in order to enhance the speech therapist acting on the singing voice.