Lifestyle and problems to health and voice for teachers.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the correlation between health problems, lifestyle and voice habits referred by teachers. Methods: 51 teachers from a state school in Campinas-SP responded to the questionnaire “Terms of Vocal-Teacher Production”. All data were analyzed considering descriptive statistics and then those provided by teachers who reported voice alterations were compared to those who denied it, in terms of health items, lifestyle, leisure and vocal habits, present in this instrument. Chi-square tests and Fisher’s Exact Test were used and the signifi cance level was 5%. Results: Concerning the health item, there was signifi cant heartburn (p=0.039) and tooth loss (p=0.001), more common in teachers without any reference to voice alteration. About habits, having already smoked (p=0.049), eating the last meal until 30 minutes before bedtime (p=0.010) and consuming less than 1 liter of fl uid per day (p=0.017) differentiated the groups, especially to those that mentioned voice alteration. Regarding voice, satisfaction (p=0.016) distinguished them, with greater frequency in the group without vocal alteration. The lifestyle should be considered as an important element in researches on teacher’s health and voice and the actions of professional qualifi cation in this segment, inserting the voice as a parameter of health and lifestyle. Conclusion: There was a correlation between lifestyle and health problems and voice in the variables having already smoked and making the last meal until 30 minutes before bedtime.