Influence of the characteristics of home office work on self-perceived vocal fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Purpose

To verify the influence of work characteristics and the occupational voice use on the self-perception of vocal fatigue symptoms in individuals working in the home office during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, observational, and descriptive study. The sample consisted of 206 individuals (123 women and 83 men), with an average age of 34 years, working exclusively in a home office mode due to the pandemic. Through an online form, all participants responded to the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) protocol and the questionnaire on the characterization of work and the occupational voice use during the pandemic, developed by the authors of this study. Multiple linear regression using the backward elimination technique was performed.

Results

The variables the interlocutor does “not listen to me in home office work,” “noise in the home office work environment,” “the daily workload in home office,” “vocal quality worsened in home office work,” “increased vocal loudness in home office work” and “lack of training about voice use in home office work” are predictors of the dependent variable vocal fatigue symptoms.

Conclusion

The characteristics of work and occupational voice use influence the self-perception of vocal fatigue symptoms in individuals working in the home office mode during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords:

• Coronavirus
• workplace
• voice
• occupational voice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Larissa Thaís Donalonso Siqueira

Larissa Thaís Donalonso Siqueira, PhD, Post-doctoral researcher at the Speech Hearing and Language Disorders Department of the Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru/Universidade de São Paulo – FOB/USP, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.

Jhonatan da Silva Vitor

Jhonatan da Silva Vitor, Master, Speech language-pathologist at Bauru School of Dentistry, São Paulo College, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.

Ana Paula dos Santos

Ana Paula dos Santos, Master, Speech language-pathologist at Bauru School of Dentistry, São Paulo College. Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.

Rebeca Liaschi Floro Silva

Rebeca Liaschi Floro Silva, Master's degree student, Speech language-pathologist at Bauru School of Dentistry, São Paulo College, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.

Pamela Aparecida Medeiros Moreira

Pamela Aparecida Medeiros Moreira, Master, Speech language-pathologist at Bauru School of Dentistry, São Paulo College. Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil

Vanessa Veis Ribeiro

Vanessa Veis Ribeiro, PhD, Professor at the Speech-Language Pathology Department, Universidade Federal de Sergipe – UFS, Centro, Lagarto, Sergipe, Brazil. Professor at the Centro de Estudos da Voz – CEV, São Paulo, Brazil. Professor at the Associate Postgraduate Program in Speech-Language Pathology, Universidade Federal da Paraíba – UFPB, Cidade Universitária, Conjunto Presidente Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.