Vocal risk factors for occupational voice disorders in female teaching students.

The objective of the study was to assess voice capabilities and laryngeal abnormalities in female teaching students in order to evaluate risk factors of future occupational voice disorders. One hundred forty-four women (aged 17 to 41 years) were examined using videostroboscopy and voice range profile measurements. Stroboscopically, the subjects were classified into three groups depending on the shape of the glottal closure. Thirty-five phonation-associated alterations and six organic alterations of the vocal folds were found. Subjects with an insufficient glottal closure showed a higher percentage of phonation-associated vocal fold alterations (i.e. vocal nodules) and reached lower maximum sound pressure levels. The results underline the necessity to execute vocal examinations and vocal assessment analyses for candidates of voice intensive professions in order to avoid profession-related dysphonias at a later stage.