Ações em saúde vocal: proposta de melhoria do perfil vocal de professores****** Actions in vocal health: a proposal for improving the vocal profile of teachers

Recebido em 05.11.2007. Revisado em 13.03.2008; 07.05.2008; 29.07.2008. Aceito para Publicação em 29.07.2008. Abstract Background: several authors have pointed to the urgent need of researches and actions involving teachers, in the school environment, that have a preventive and vocal health promotion character with the purpose of improving work conditions. Aim: to analyze the vocal complaints, laryngeal symptoms, vocal habits and vocal profile of teachers of a public school before and after their participation in voice workshops. Method: the study was divided in different steps: 1st step closed interview, larynx and perceptive-auditory assessment in which 42 teachers were evaluated; 2nd step voice workshops; 3rd step perceptive-auditory reassessment in which 13 teachers were evaluated. Results: 73% of the subjects presented vocal complaints; 57.14% presented mild to moderate hoarseness, 78.57% presented breathiness and 52.38% vocal tension. Evaluation of the larynx indicated that 75.86% of the subjects presented glottal gaps and 34.48% mucous thickening. After the voice workshops a significant difference was observed in the level of vocal tension, both in the analysis of the /e/ vowel and in the analysis of Spontaneous Speech (p = 0.0277 for p > 0.05 for both). Improvement was observed in vocal care and in the understanding of intervening and determinant factors for vocal alterations, which are present in the teaching environment. Conclusion: health actions, such as voice workshops, are important to trigger changes in the work environment as well as in the health of teachers.