Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: December | Volume: 10 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 174-186
Vocal Hygiene Program for Information Technology Enabled Service Professionals
Sivaranjani Balasubramanian1, Perumal Santhanam Divya2, Abinaya Ramar3, Dikshitha Anand4
1Intern, 2Assistant Professor, 3Undergraduate Student, 4Undergraduate Student,
Department of Speech Language Pathology, Madras ENT Research Foundation (P) Ltd-Institute of Speech and Hearing, Chennai, India
Corresponding Author: Sivaranjani Balasubramaniant
ABSTRACT
Vocal hygiene program is a behavioral approach to treat voice disorders. It focuses on various vocal and non-vocal habits which, by following appropriately would reduce the symptoms of the voice disorder and also prevent developing a voice disorder. Information Technology Enabled Service (ITES) professionals are inclined to use their voice extensively to earn their living. Hence, this study focuses on developing a vocal hygiene program exclusively for voice users belonging to Information Technology Enabled Services. The results were compared using Voice Handicap Index, Vocal Fatigue Index before and after the implementation of vocal hygiene program on 31 professional voice users belonging to ITES which showed the improvements achieved were statistically significant. Hence, Vocal hygiene program for ITES professionals is a necessity and shall yield reliable realistic improvements.
Key words: Information Technology Enabled Service, Vocal hygiene program, Vocal Fatigue, Voice Handicap, Vocal and Non-vocal habits, Professional Voice Users.