Pattern and perception about vocal use and misuse among young adult in Pakistan

Background: The human voice is a prominent feature and the most susceptible to environmental changes, lifestyle, and age. Voice problems tend to be significantly under-reported and consequently less likely to be clinically treated. It is yet to be established if the cause lies in the lack of awareness or the impermanent nature of most voice disorders. Objective: To evaluate the patterns and perceptions about vocal use and misuse among young adults in Pakistan. Method: The study used a cross-sectional survey design. A convenient sampling technique was employed to collect the data from n=242 healthy young adults aged 18-25 years studying in colleges and universities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A 32-item survey questionnaire titled “patterns and Perceptions about voice use and Misuse” was employed, with a portion for demographic data and five sections dedicated to general awareness, self-perception about voice, and habits of vocal use and misuse. Results: The results regarding the perception and patterns of vocal use and misuse reflects that 88.3% of the participants agreed that precautionary measure would help them to avoid voice disorder. In contrast, 83.3% of the participants reported screaming and yelling as part of their vocal pattern. Participants showed a strong association with the positive attributes related to their voice such as beautiful as 82.2% of the participants reported their voice as pleasant. Conclusion: The study concluded that the outcome of participants’ perceptions and their patterns of vocal behavior were significantly atypical. Screaming and smoking were the most frequently reported response by adults but on the other hand, they did not seek professional help and did not perceive their voice as unpleasant voice. Keywords: speech therapy; voice disorder; vocal misuse; young adults