SUBJECTIVE SELF-ASSESSMENT OF VOICE HANDICAP AND VIDEO LARYNGOSCOPIC FINDINGS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TEACHING AND NON-TEACHING STAFF IN NIGERIAN SCHOOLS

Idris SO^1*, Segun-Busari S²,Alabi BS², Ologe FE^2
1Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
²Department ofEar, Nose and Throat, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author: Dr Idris Sa’ad Olanrewaju, Email: lanreidris2005@yahoo.com
Source of grant: None
Conflict of Interest: None

ABSTRACT

Background: Teachers experience high vocal load and if voice quality deteriorates, their livelihoods are affected. Aim and Objective: This study assessed teachers perceive their voices and related this self-perceptionto video-laryngoscopic findings. Design of the study: A community-based, cross-sectional, comparative study conducted among 280 teaching and 280 non-teaching staff (controls)selected from public schools in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

Materials and methods: Participants completed the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) questionnaire; another questionnaire was usedto obtain socio-demographicvariables. Video-laryngoscopy was then carried out on each participant. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, frequencies and proportions) were calculated for all measures. Categorical variables were compared using chi square tests and numeric variables compared using student t-tests. Differences were considered significant if p-value < 0.05.

Results: There were no significant differences in the sex ratios and the mean ages between the teachers and controls. Teachers had significantly higher prevalence of self-perceived voice handicap, 15.4% than controls, 1.8% (p<0.001). Their mean VHI-10 score, 4.34 (SD7.07) was significantly higher than that of controls, 0.39 (SD2.32), p<0.001. For each of the individual items in the VHI-10 score the mean for the teachers was significantly higher than that for the controls. Prevalence of laryngeal abnormalities on videolaryngoscopy in teachers was 29.6% against 8.2% in controls (p<0.001), with chronic non-specific laryngitis including vocal nodules being the most common abnormality in both teachers and controls. Among those who had abnormal video-laparoscopic findings 74 (89.2%) out of 83 in the teachers group and 18 (78.3%) in the control group had chronic non-specific laryngitis including vocal nodules; the difference was not significant, p=0.153. Fourteen of 15 teachers with severe perceived self-handicap had normal video-laparoscopy.

Conclusion: Teachers in Ilorin have significantly higher prevalence of self-perceived voice handicap and of video-laryngoscopic abnormalitiesthan non-teaching staff. Most teachers with severe self-perceived handicap had normal video-laryngoscopic findings and may require follow up.

Key words:Teachers, VHI-10, Video-laryngoscopy, Subjective, Self-assessment.