Work-related voice disorder: a historic approach

Abstract

This paper intends to discuss the history of the discussions that culminated with the writing of the document entitled Work-Related Voice Disorder. The beginning of the process was marked by a request for a report on an official letter sent by the Federal Speech Language Pathology (SLP) Council which presented medical (ear nose and throat specialty) and SLP criteria for defi ning job removal or re-adaptation of functions due to vocal disorders. Subsequently, many seminars held at the Catholic University of Sao Paulo discussed this theme in depth, and these discussions culminated, through an initiative of the Reference Centers for Worker’s health of Sao Paulo, in the writing of the referred document. This document served as a basis for development of a protocol for all health professionals of the Brazilian public health system, in its three distinct attention levels, and to other professionals who deal with different aspects of vocal disorders, aiming to include the work-related voice disorder among the list of compulsory notification health aggravations, as issued in Decree number 777 dated 04/28/2004.