Abstract

Introduction. Teleworking as a result of COVID-19 has generated high demands that could promote the generation of vocal overexertion. Aim. To evaluate how working conditions can affect changes in vocal health, evaluate work stress, and assess changes in the vocal quality of elementary teachers in Temuco. Method. Eighteen elementary school teachers from Temuco, Chile, who were tele-working in 2021, were evaluated at the beginning and end of the school year through the Voice Handicap Index (VHI-30), Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTD), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and acoustic analysis using long-term average spectrum and disturbance measurements. Results. Only 21% of the teachers had adequate physical space for teleworking. In addition, 52.6% had to share household responsibilities such as taking care of minor children during their teleworking day. The results show an increase in symptoms and feelings of discomfort at the level of the vocal tract measured by the VHI-30 and the VTD. Regarding job stress measured by the Burnout scale, a significant value was found only for the emotional exhaustion subscale. In addition, there were no significant differences in the acoustic parameters Jitter, Shimmer, HNR, and Alpha ratio. Conclusions. The vast majority of the participants reported increased discomfort and self-perceived vocal symptoms (dry throat, vocal fatigue) together with a higher level of stress, which over time can trigger voice disorders.