The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with the incidence of hoarseness in school teachers. We examined the prevalence of this symptom and various factors: professional position, workplace, age, gender, grade level taught, number of teaching lessons per week and courses taught. Responses were elicited by questionnaire from public school teachers who underwent thorough medical examinations at a hospital directly operated by the Japan Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, and these were analyzed to detect any associations between the prevalence of hoarseness and the various factors. The results were as follows. 1) Factors showing a high ratio to prevalence of the symptom included being female, serving as an ordinary teacher, teaching more than 21 lessons per week, working in an elementary school, and teaching Japanese language or music. 2) The number of teaching lessons per week by ordinary teachers is much more than for teachers in administrative positions, and the more teaching hours, the higher was the prevalence of the symptom. 3) The number of teaching lessons for ordinary elementary school teachers was higher than for junior or high school teachers. 4) Among elementary school teachers, the younger the grade level taught or the more the number of teaching lessons, the higher was the prevalence. 5) Notably, female elementary school teachers in their fifties demonstrated the highest prevalence. 6) It was found that female elementary school teachers in their fifties tended to be in charge of lower grades. From the above, several factors associated with the occurrence of hoarseness in school teachers were revealed, thus raising the possibility that careful attention to these factors may decrease the incidence of vocal disturbance in school teachers.
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