Voice Problems and Related Risk Factors Among Hairdressers.

OBJECTIVE: Hairdressers are more prone to respiratory diseases, bronchitis, asthma, shortness of breath, and cough due to the nature of their occupation and the constant use of cosmetics. Therefore, they may be prone to voice disorders or laryngeal problems. Voice problems may affect not only their social and emotional relationships but also their jobs. The current study was conducted to investigate voice problems and related risk factors in hairdressers. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total number of 293 women participated in the study. The study group consisted of 147 hairdressers and the control group consisted of 146 women with other jobs. All study participants were requested to complete a self-reported questionnaire. This questionnaire investigated demographic characteristics, voice problems and symptoms, laryngeal discomfort, working features, and workplace conditions. Chi-square, independent t-test, Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The prevalence of voice problems in hairdressers and the control group was 33.33% and 15.75%, respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Results of the Chi-Square test showed that prevalence of hoarseness, vocal fatigue, dryness, and cough were higher in hairdressers than the control group (P < 0.05). According to regression logistic results, work time (hours per week) (P = 0.014; OR = 2.35; CI = 1.18-4.66) and presence of phonotraumatic behaviors (P = 0.012; OR = 2.73; CI = 1.24-5.96) increased the possibility of increasing the presence of voice symptoms among hairdressers. CONCLUSION: The findings revealed that self-reported voice problems were more prevalent in the hairdressers group than in the control group and therefore the hairdressers were more prone to an increased risk of developing voice problems. The most common symptoms in the hairdressers group were cough, hoarseness, and dryness in the vocal tract. Based on these results, in addition to paying attention to recommendations related to environmental issues and exposure to chemical hazards, hairdressers may benefit from receiving appropriate training in voice production, voice disorders, and the prevention of voice disorders.

Laryngeal and Voice Symptoms of Workers in a Chlorine Chemical Factory.

OBJECTIVE: Exposure to chlorine gas can cause many problems for people who work in chlorine chemical production factories. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of laryngeal and voice symptoms and related factors among workers in a chlorine chemical production factory. DESIGN: A case-control study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total number of 208 workers, including 138 workers (13 females, 125 males) who work in a chlorine chemical production factory and 70 (three females, 67 males) workers of a non-chlorine producing factory (producing metal materials), participated in the study. All participants completed self-reported questionnaires to investigate laryngeal or voice problems. These questionnaires investigated workplace vocal health, presence of voice or laryngeal problems, voice symptoms and laryngeal discomforts, and complications of voice problems. RESULTS: The prevalence of laryngeal or voice problems in the workers of the chlorine factory group (18.8%) was higher than in the control group (7%) and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.018). For all of the voice and laryngeal symptoms, workers in the chlorine factory had more symptoms than workers in the control group. Results of a Chi-Square test showed that workers in the chlorine factory had more significant vocal fatigue and dry throat symptoms than the control group (P < 0.05). Regression logistic analyses showed that age (P = 0.008; OR = 1.09; CI = 1.02-1.17), inadequate humidity (P = 0.015; OR = 2.78; CI = 1.21-6.38), and unavailability of water (P = 0.021; OR = 3.80; CI = 1.22-11.76) raised the chances of increasing the laryngeal and voice symptoms among workers. The most common side effects of laryngeal symptoms and voice problems for workers were: difficulty speaking in crowded environments, low self-esteem while talking, need for repetition to understand speech, and anxiety when speaking. CONCLUSION: Laryngeal and voice problems were more prevalent in the chlorine factory workers group than in the control group. The factors of age, inadequate humidity, and unavailability of water increased the probability for laryngeal or voice symptoms among chlorine factory workers. These findings indicate the need for further research with this population.

Is There Any Association Between Language Acquisition and Cognitive Development in Cochlear-Implanted Children?

OBJECTIVE: Different studies on normal children and children with a sensory or intellectual disability indicate a strong correlation between the child's vocabulary domain and his cognitive abilities. Based on this, the main focus of the present study was to investigate the cognitive performance of cochlear-implanted children after a cognition-based language intervention program. METHODS: In this experimental study, 60 cochlear-implanted children were selected and randomly allocated into case and control groups. The control group received auditory verbal therapy (AVT), while the intervention group was trained by using both AVT and a language intervention protocol that was recently developed by the authors. Finally, the participants' communication abilities were assessed through the adapted version of the language subtest of Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development - Third Edition (BSID 3). Five months later, the cognitive subtest was carried out. The data gathered were then analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: The study was performed on 2 groups of 20- to 24-month-old cochlear implant users, and our results confirmed a high correlation between language acquisition and cognitive development (r = 0.76). In addition, the cognitive and language performance of the participants who were trained by the new and specifically designed language intervention protocol as well as AVT was significantly higher than that of the control group (P ≤ .001). CONCLUSION: The new and specifically designed language intervention protocol that was mainly established based on cognitive factors such as attention and semantic memory enhancement in cochlear-implanted children improved not only their language acquisition but also their cognitive development.

Comparison of the Effects of Video Modeling and Clinician Modeling on Naming Deficiency in Aphasic Patients.

BACKGROUND: Aphasia is the most frequent disorder that could occur following a stroke. Aphasia has a negative impact on the patient's communication ability through language. One of the common consequences of aphasia is naming deficits that can lead to communication disorders. Therefore, the treatment of aphasia is necessary. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of video modeling and clinician modeling on naming skills of patients with chronic aphasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The design of this prospective single subject study was ABA that performed on four patients with chronic aphasia. participated. This study was administered during three phases including the baseline (three sessions); the intervention (nine sessions); and a follow-up phase (three sessions). The outcome measure was taken in three phases including baseline, intervention, and follow-up. For each patient, the naming score for items modeled by the clinician, the naming score for items modeled video modeling by other, the naming score for self-video modeling, and the reaction time score were recorded. RESULTS: A total of three patients complete the study and one of them refused to continue treatment. The naming score of all modeling types increased in all patients. In the other words, the intervention helped the patients be improved in naming. Also, the results of the reaction time indicated that the video modeling, as well as clinician modeling, could decrease the response time that means the intervention could increase the speed of retrieval processes. CONCLUSION: In our study, all three types of modeling could improve the naming scores in patients with chronic aphasia. Additionally, the findings demonstrate that the clinician and video modeling might increase mental processing for naming verbally.

Comparison of Social Interaction between Cochlear-Implanted Children with Normal Intelligence Undergoing Auditory Verbal Therapy and Normal-Hearing Children: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: A cochlear implant is a device that helps hearing-impaired children by transmitting sound signals to the brain and helping them improve their speech, language, and social interaction. Although various studies have investigated the different aspects of speech perception and language acquisition in cochlear-implanted children, little is known about their social skills, particularly Persian-speaking cochlear-implanted children. Considering the growing number of cochlear implants being performed in Iran and the increasing importance of developing near-normal social skills as one of the ultimate goals of cochlear implantation, this study was performed to compare the social interaction between Iranian cochlear-implanted children who have undergone rehabilitation (auditory verbal therapy) after surgery and normal-hearing children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive-analytical study compared the social interaction level of 30 children with normal hearing and 30 with cochlear implants who were conveniently selected. The Raven test was administered to the both groups to ensure normal intelligence quotient. The social interaction status of both groups was evaluated using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, and statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. RESULTS: After controlling age as a covariate variable, no significant difference was observed between the social interaction scores of both the groups (p > 0.05). In addition, social interaction had no correlation with sex in either group. CONCLUSION: Cochlear implantation followed by auditory verbal rehabilitation helps children with sensorineural hearing loss to have normal social interactions, regardless of their sex.