Análisis acústico de la voz en docentes jubilados de la Unión Nacional de Educadores – Núcleo del Azuay, 2024 - 2025

Abstract

This descriptive quantitative study focused on the evaluation of the voice of retired teachers: individuals vulnerable to vocal pathologies due to factors associated with age and their profession. With 60 participants from the National Union of Teachers in Azuay, population characteristics and levels of acoustic disturbance in the voice were analyzed using Praat software. 65% were males and 35% were females; most of them aged 60-74 years old with a teaching career of 30 to 39 years. The findings showed that, although 96.7% did not use harmful substances, 63.3% ate acidic foods and 51.7% did not hydrate properly, 85% were not exposed to harmful environmental factors or faced adverse emotional situations, but 33.3% perceived vocal difficulties and did not seek treatment. The acoustic analysis showed significant alterations in the Shimmer values in 66.6% of the cases. Results show the prevalence of vocal alterations in this population, related to unhealthy habits and lack of awareness about the importance of vocal care. Therefore, it is essential to implement preventive and awareness-raising strategies to improve vocal health in retired teachers, even though there is currently limited research on this subject in this age group.