Ambulatory Phonation Monitor as an Indicator of Voice Use Profile in a Group of Speech Language Pathologists

Abstract

Aim: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can be recognized as professional voice users, as their job depends mainly on healthy and intact voices. The purpose of this study was to explore the vocal load characteristics in a group of SLPs compared to a control group consisting of subjects of different professional backgrounds. Study Design: Prospective study. Methodology: A group of 13 SLPs and a control group of 7 subjects working in different professions were included in the study. Vocal load during a whole working day was measured for all the participants using Ambulatory Phonation Monitor (APM). The measured parameters include total phonation time (TPT), cycle dose, and distance dose. Results: The SLPs group demonstrated significantly higher vocal load parameters than the control group including TPT, cycle dose, and distance dose (P. < 0.01). Conclusions: Vocal load parameters as measured by cycle dose and distance dose appear to be significantly higher in the SLPs group compared to the control subjects who are working in other non-voice demanding occupations.