Voice Symptoms, Perceived Voice Control, and Common Mental Disorders in Elementary School Teachers

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate factors associated with health dissatisfaction of public elementary school teachers. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted among teachers from a Midwest capital, in 2017. A self-administered questionnaire composed of a collection of validated instruments and additional questions was used. Poisson Regression was performed, considering significance p <0.05. Results: sample composed of 326 teachers, with an average age of 43 years, 87.1% female. Concerning health conditions, 19.5% were dissatisfied and 31.5% were indifferent. In a simultaneous analysis of the factors of interest, a statistically significant association was found among teacher’s health dissatisfaction and the presence of symptoms of common mental disorders (PRa= 2.28), musculoskeletal symptoms in the last 12 months (PRa= 1.71), voice disorders (PRa= 1.29), never/rarely waking up rested (PRa= 1.45), never/rarely engage in physical activity/sports (PRa= 1.57), among other factors. Conclusion: never/rarely waking up rested and engaging in physical activity/sports, the presence of common mental disorders, musculoskeletal symptoms and voice disorders were associated with health dissatisfaction.

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Predictors of health-related absenteeism, presenteeism and sick leave among brazilian elementary school teachers: A cross-sectional study

Work ◽

10.3233/wor-203320 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 67 (3) ◽

pp. 709-719

Author(s):

Diogo Henrique Constantino Coledam ◽

Yara Machado da Silva

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Sick Leave ◽

Elementary School Teachers ◽

Health Risks ◽

Common Mental Disorders ◽

Work Conditions ◽

Work Place ◽

School Teachers ◽

Related Absenteeism ◽

Health Related

BACKGROUND: The health risks that usually affect teachers are already known; however, the predictors of health related absenteeism, presenteeism, and sick leave have not yet been fully described. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the predictors of health-related absenteeism, presenteeism, and sick leave among elementary school teachers. METHODS: This study involved a probabilistic sample of 519 Brazilian elementary school teachers. The outcomes were days of health-related absenteeism, presenteeism, and sick leave in the previous 12 months. Work-place and individual factors were the independent variables analyzed. RESULTS: Inadequate infrastructure of schools, disability, and medical consultations were positively associated with all outcomes. Teachers who reported having a chronic disease, common mental disorders, and voice disorders presented higher absenteeism and presenteeism days. Musculoskeletal pain and low job support were associated with higher presenteeism and sick leave days. Teachers who performed strength and flexibility activities presented less presenteeism, those who reported physical violence at school were more frequently absent, and teachers with depersonalization presented a higher likelihood of sick leave. CONCLUSIONS: The prevention of health-related absenteeism, presenteeism, and sick leave among elementary teachers should ensure adequate work conditions and prevention and monitoring of health risks.

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Health and Work Environment among Female and Male Swedish Elementary School Teachers—A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17010227 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 227 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Maria Boström ◽

Christina Björklund ◽

Gunnar Bergström ◽

Lotta Nybergh ◽

Liselotte Schäfer Elinder ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Elementary School Teachers ◽

Work Environment ◽

Safety Climate ◽

Common Mental Disorders ◽

High Stress ◽

Male Teachers ◽

School Teachers ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

High Work

Background and objectives: Changes in teachers’ work situation in Sweden since the 1990s may have contributed to an increase in common mental disorders (CMDs) and burnout. However, there is a lack of research in this field. The aim was to describe how Swedish elementary school teachers experience their health, organizational and social work environment, and the psychosocial safety climate at the workplace, and especially differences and similarities between female and male teachers. Materials and methods: Data were collected with the COPSOQ, OLBI, UWES and PSC-12 from 478 elementary teachers, 81.0% of them women, from twenty schools. The response rate was 96.4%. Results: Teachers reported relatively good general health but experienced high stress, high work pace and emotional demands, low influence at work and a poor psychosocial safety climate. These factors were especially prominent among female teachers. Both women and men experienced good development possibilities and high work engagement. Conclusions: The results of this study can help us to develop a more sustainable work environment for female and male teachers. A more sustainable work environment might attract more people to the profession and incentivize existing teachers to remain in the profession.

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Knowledge of kindergarten and elementary school teachers regarding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at Qassim region

International Journal of Growth and Development ◽

10.25081/ijgd.2017.v1i1.9 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 8

Author(s):

Sami A. Almutairi

Keyword(s):

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Elementary School ◽

Elementary School Teachers ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Common Mental Disorders ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

School Teachers ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders that manifest among children. Despite the fact that the teacher’s role is essential in the assessment and management of pupils with ADHD and the recommendation of participation of teachers for the success and efficiency of diagnoses and treatment, the vast majority of teachers have neither understanding nor knowledge of ADHD. Objectives: The current study explores the kindergarten and elementary school teachers’ knowledge regarding early detection and management of ADHD. Methods: Cross sectional survey using stratified random sampling technique was carried out in governmental and private elementary and Kindergarten schools in four cities of Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Results: The study included 1095 teachers, 711 (59.3%) did not get information about ADHD during undergraduate studies. Teachers’ overall ADHD knowledge mean was 21.7+5.5 out of 38 marks. Teachers with high qualification degree and kindergarten specialty scored 56.4% and 60.2% respectively. Teachers who attended conferences related to ADHD scored 64.5%, while teachers who read about ADHD or have been ever asked to diagnose/teach an ADHD student had 59.4% and 62.1% respectively. The level of ADHD knowledge perception showed that 76% of teachers were knowledgeable in relation to overall perception about ADHD. Conclusion: Teachers who have higher qualifications or training in identifying ADHD children scored higher in our study.

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Teachers’ and Children’s Experiences after an Acoustic Intervention and a Noise-Controlling Workshop in Two Elementary Classrooms

Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica ◽

10.1159/000503231 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 72 (6) ◽

pp. 454-463

Author(s):

Sirpa Pirilä ◽

Jaana Jokitulppo ◽

Elina Niemitalo-Haapola ◽

Anneli Yliherva ◽

Leena Rantala

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Elementary School Teachers ◽

Elementary Classrooms ◽

School Teachers ◽

Voice Production ◽

Teachers Experiences ◽

Workshop Intervention ◽

Voice Symptoms

Introduction: Treating sources of noise is a novel aspect of voice ergonomics intended to enhance the preconditions for good voice production and easy listening. Objective: To improve experiences of listening and voice ergonomics in classrooms. Methods: Participants were two female elementary school teachers with voice symptoms and their pupils (n = 50). Two interventions were performed: the acoustic intervention and then the workshop intervention where the teachers and pupils were active. Teachers’ voice symptoms and pupils’ and teachers’ experiences of the interventions were elicited by questionnaire. Results: The teacher with many voice symptoms experienced more annoyance from sounds and benefitted more from the interventions. After the interventions both teachers suffered fewer voice breaks and voice symptoms such as lump and mucus in the throat. The pupils reported improvement in the teachers’ voice clarity and audibility (p = 0.001). Pupils aged 12–13 years were more annoyed by sounds than those aged 8–9 years (p = 0.003). The older pupils experienced less sound annoyance after both interventions and the younger ones after the workshop intervention. Conclusions: The importance of good acoustics and individuals’ ability to improve voice ergonomics and listening conditions was demonstrated.

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