Prevalence and Correlates of Vocal Fatigue Among Primary School Teachers in Vietnam

Background:Primary school teachers, as occupational voice users, often experience vocal fatigue, which can profoundly impact their well-being and teaching performance. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of vocal fatigue and identify its correlates among primary school teacher.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 339 primary school teachers from 17 primary schools across 5 districts in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Participants completed a self-administered survey which included information about demographic information, health conditions, class characteristics, voice use habits, and the Vietnamese version of the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) to assess vocal fatigue. A score of 33 or over on the VFI was used to identify those who experienced vocal fatigue.

Result: The mean age of participants was 39.9 years [standard deviation (SD) = 10.4], and 84.7% were female. The prevelance of vocal fatigue among primary school teachers was 64.3% (n=339). Vocal fatigue was found to be associated with the average number of students per class OR=1.07 [p<0.001, 95% CI (1.04-1.11)], surrounding classroom noise levels OR=0.42 [p<0.001, 95% CI (0.31-0.57)], daily teaching duration OR=1.29 [p<0.001, 95% CI (1.08-1.53)], voice use habits OR=2.13 [p<0.001, 95% CI (1.53-2.97)], the use of teaching aids OR=0.45 [p<0.001, 95% CI (0.28-0.73)], and overall health status OR=0.41 [p<0.001, 95% CI (0.29-0.59)]. However, no association was found between vocal fatigue and age, gender, education level, grade level, or subject taught by the teachers.

Conclusions: Vocal fatigue was prevalent among Vietnamese primary teachers. The detailed findings on sociodemographic factors and health behaviors highlight potential approaches for targeted counseling and preventive measures to address and reduce vocal fatigue.

Keywords: Prevalence; Sociodemographic factor; Vocal fatigue; Vietnamese.