The vocal health of auctioneers.

A questionnaire designed to assess vocal demands and vocal health was completed by 438 randomly selected auctioneers. Over 96% reported using amplification to auction the majority of the time. A greater proportion of individuals who auctioned in environments with poor air quality visited a physician for a voice problem than individuals who auctioned in environments with clean air. Significant contributors to vocal quality changes and vocal fatigue were frequency of auctioning, as well as auctioning in noise. In addition, the duration of auctioning without a break significantly contributed to vocal fatigue. Vocal hygiene recommendations are provided based on these findings.