Prevalence of Voice Disorders in Primary Level School Teachers of Nepal: A Pilot Study

Among professional voice users teachers are found to be at an exceptionally high risk of developing voice problemsbecause of stress inherent in their occupation and the environmental conditions in which they work. In this pilot study conducted inthe Terai region of Nepal we determine the prevalence of voice disorders in primary level school teachers and aetiological factorsassociated with it.Subjects and Methods: One hundred and thirty-seven teachers of primary level Government school of Morang district, Nepalirrespective of age and sex were enrolled in this study from December 2015 to November 2016 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngologyand Head and Neck, Nobel Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Biratnagar, Nepal. All were subjected to detail history, clinicalexamination including indirect laryngoscopy(IL) and flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopy(NPL). Informed consent and ethicalclearance was taken from the ethical board.Observation: Out of 137 teachers included in study the sex, age, teaching experience, materials used in classroom, noise, habits ofteachers were studied in regards to prevalence of voice disorder and vocal nodule. Prevalence of voice disorders was (47%) andvocal nodule was (12%). There was strong statistical significance with gender, teaching experience, tobacco use and noise in classroom with P value of < 0.05. Whereas increasing age of teachers has weak relation but significant P = 0.049.Conclusion: This study shows a high prevalence of voice disorders among teachers. There are various risk factors which areassociated with it, some are non-modifiable such as age, gender. Some are modifiable such as tobacco use, noise in class-room andteaching duration.