Voice Quality of Life and Musculoskeletal Symptoms of Pregnant Women.

INTRODUCTION: Quality of life in terms of voice and musculoskeletal symptoms can be affected, especially at the end of pregnancy when major physical changes occur. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of vocal self-assessment and musculoskeletal symptoms of pregnant women in the second and third trimester. METHODS: Forty-nine pregnant women in the second and third trimester aged between 18 and 40years were examined using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the Voice-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire. The data were statistically analyzed using the R environment (R Core Team, 2019) with parametric (Student's t, chi-square, and Wald) and nonparametric (Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon) tests, taking into account a nominal significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Voice-related quality of life: mean total score and socio-emotional domain significantly within the normal values; physical domain significantly below the normal value; larger number of pregnant women significantly below the normal value in the physical domain. Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire: most of the examined aspects showed a significant negative response; there was a positive significance for the presence of pain and tingling in the lower back; pregnant women with musculoskeletal complaints and impairments showed a significant decrease in the three domains of voice-related quality of life, mainly in the physical domain. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women showed a deterioration in the physical domain of voice-related quality of life and the presence of pain and tingling in the lower back. Pregnant women who had discomfort and musculoskeletal impairments also showed a deterioration in voice-related quality of life, mainly in the physical domain.

Respiratory and Sound Pressures, Maximum Phonation Time, Cervical Disability and Voice-Related Quality of Life of Teachers.

INTRODUCTION: Many teachers report discomfort and a decrease in the quality of aerodynamic, respiratory, and cervical vocal aspects as well as of vocal self-assessment. OBJECTIVE: Characterize and correlate measurements of Sound Pressure Levels, Maximum Phonation Time of /a/, Maximum Respiratory Pressures, Voice-Related Quality of Life and cervical pain in teachers with vocal and musculoskeletal complaints and no organic vocal fold lesions, and compare with normative values. METHODS: Retrospective study with 56 teachers. Anamnesis, video laryngoscopy, hearing screening, measurements of sound pressure and maximum phonation time, and manovacuometry were performed. Self-assessment protocols for Voice-Related Quality of Life and Neck Disability Index were completed. RESULTS: there was significant higher Sound Pressure Levels; significant lower Maximum Phonation Time of /a/, Maximum Expiratory Pressure, and total and physical scores of Voice-Related Quality of Life; most participants had mild cervical disability; there was a negative correlation between Maximum Expiratory Pressure and Neck Disability Index, between Maximum Inspiratory Pressure and Maximum Sound Pressure Level, and between Neck Disability Index and Voice-Related Quality of Life. CONCLUSION: The results showed that there are damages and inadequacies in teachers' vocal production which affect their quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the conditions of use of the voice by professionals, and to their health education.