Applicability of vocal hygiene guidelines and their relationship with vocal symptoms in musical comedy singers

Abstract

Abstract: 

Musical comedy singers require physical demands and specific vocal techniques specific to the activity they develop, they also need certain patterns, behaviors and habits to achieve prudent care of their voice, these can be related to the presence or appearance of vocal symptoms to short and long term.

Analyze the relationship between the applicability of vocal hygiene and the presence of vocal symptoms in musical comedy singers, Arte & Cultura Foundation, Espacio 373, city of Córdoba, year 2019.

Descriptive cross-sectional correlational study. Sample: n = 30 adult musical comedy singers, mean age 26.5, after signing informed consent, the subjects answered two self-reports: to determine the applicability of vocal hygiene, participants completed the vocal hygiene questionnaire (VHQ) and to determine the presence of vocal symptoms, the vocal handicap index questionnaire (S-VHI). The classification cut-off lines of the self-reports were: for VHQ, low harmful behaviors and habits (LHBH) 0 to 5 pts., Harmful (HBH) 6 to 11 pts., Very harmful (VHBH) 12 to 29 pts. For S-VHI, from 0 to 36 points, mild symptoms (MS), from 36 to 72 points, moderate symptoms (MoS) and +72 points, severe symptoms (SS). Statistical analysis was performed in infostat 2019.

The S-VHI results showed the presence of MS in 50% of the participants and MoS in the remaining 50%. The VHQ found that 46.6% of the singers presented LHBH, 46.6% HBH and 6.7% VHBH. No significant correlation was observed between VHQ and S-VHI CP = 0.1 (p = 0.6).

No significant correlation was found between the applicability of vocal hygiene and the presence of vocal symptoms in musical comedy singers, however the presence of vocal symptoms in the studied population was notable, while the applicability of vocal hygiene does not show a clear trend. since approximately half of the population applied behaviors-habits little harmful and a little more than the other half behaviors-harmful and very harmful habits.