Propuesta de programa de promoción de la salud y prevención de patología vocal en los docentes de la Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas

Abstract

University professors tend to have long workdays, during which few take active breaks focused on vocal health and hygiene. This is why the voice plays a fundamental role in the occupational performance of teachers, as it is considered their main work tool. The voice, for its part, can be influenced by different factors ranging from environmental aspects to personal habits, which can have effects on vocal health. This research project is carried out from a qualitative, quantitative, and descriptive approach that aims to generate a proposal for a preventive epidemiological surveillance program to raise awareness among teachers about vocal habits and especially the early identification of symptoms related to vocal pathologies. Teachers, when they present a vocal pathology such as dysphonia, tend to continue their activities as normal if it is not considered "serious". By doing this, they do not take into account the impact it has on vocal health and how it can influence the development of activities. The acquisition of these pathologies is mostly preventable, which means that with early detection it is possible to reduce indicators of absenteeism and even loss of work capacity. To this end, an analysis of vocal conditions will be generated with an acoustic analysis of the voice, in order to provide a program of healthy vocal habits that will have evaluation and intervention criteria. Based on the analysis of the information, it was found that on the GIRBAS scale, 80% of the participants have a mild degree due to the presence of roughness and breathiness. On the other hand, dry mouth, laryngeal hydration, and vocal rest are the most relevant habits in the study, since between 60% and 80% of the population report having these habits.