Autopercepción vocal en docentes de unidades educativas públicas de la ciudad de Cuenca en el periodo 2023-2024

Abstract

Background: The voice is the sound that is produced through the vibration of the vocal cords, being an essential means to practice several professions, such as teaching. However, its misuse or vocal abuse can have consequences within the functional, physical, and emotional areas, so it is important to self-evaluate it to know its impact on the quality of life. General Objective: Determine vocal self-perception in teachers of public educational units in the city of Cuenca in the period 2023 – 2024. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out where vocal selfperception was determined. The sample was made up of 80 teachers from the public educational units of Cuenca. Informed consent, a data collection form, and the Voice Handicap Index test (VHI-30) were used. Subsequently, the data obtained were analyzed by the SPSS program, version 22. Results: Of the 80 teachers, 45 were female and 35 were male. A higher occurrence of vocal disability was found in females, with mild vocal disability predominating. According to the number of working hours per day, there is a greater prevalence of vocal disability in teachers who work 8 hours a day. On the other hand, considering age, those between 36 and 45 years old represent the highest number with vocal disability. Conclusions: There is a higher percentage of predominant mild vocal alteration in the female sex, finding greater alteration on the physical scale.