Voice disorders in teachers: critical review on the worker's health surveillance practice.

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze scientific bibliographic production on the practice of occupational health surveillance related to voice disorders in teachers.

Search strategy: The Cochrane Handbook precepts which involves the formulation of the question to be investigated, the location, the studies selection and articles' critical evaluation were followed.

Selection criteria: The articles published between 2000 and 2011 were selected in the PubMed, LILACS, MEDLINE database, and the Cochrane Library using the descriptors voice disorders; teachers, occupational health, workers' health surveillance.

Data analysis: Texts were analyzed, using a standardized form when the following data were collected: objectives, research design, characteristics of the study group, obtained results and discussion on the practice of surveillance related to voice disorder.

Results: Initially, 141 studies were identified. After reviewing the titles and abstracts, considering inclusion and exclusion criteria, verifying consistency with the topic researched and eliminating the ones which were concurrently in more than one database, 32 articles were effectively analyzed for relating in the findings and/or conclusions to the practice of surveillance related to voice disorders in teachers.

Conclusion: The practice of monitoring workers' health was evidenced in this research mainly as the identification of risk factors associated with voice disorders in teachers, aimed at the transformation of the working conditions and the assurance of quality of assistance to these workers as professionals.