A Study of Voice Disorder of Professional Voice Users

A clinico-statistical analysis was performed on 389 cases of professional voice users who complained to voice disorder at dept. of otolaryngology of Ewha Womans University Hospital during past 10 years from Jan. 1975 to Dec. 1984 and the following results were obtained. 1) Among total of 44,912 who visited the dept. of otolarfyngology, the patients with voice disorders were 1373 cases (3.1%). 2) Among total 1016 cases, male were 586 and female were 787, the ratio being 1:1.3. 3) Among total of 1016 cases, 389 were cases of professional voice users(38.3%) 4) The occupational distribution of professional voice users with voice disorder in order of frequency were acute laryngitis 125 cases (32.1%), chronic laryngitis 67 cases(17.2%), vocal nodule and polyp 155 cases (39.9%), phonasthenia 15 cases (3.9%), laryngeal neurosis 16 cases (4.1%), vocal muscle paralysis 11 cases(2.8%). 5) Among 125 cases of acute laryngitis, vocal musicians were 63 cases (50.4%), Korean classical musicians were 20 cases (16.0%), teachers were 16 cases(12.8%), pastors were 9 cases (7.2%), drama players were 6 cases (4.8%), radio actors were 7 cases(5.6%), announcers were 4 cases (3.2%). 6) Among 67 cases of chronic laryngitis, vocal musicians were 19 cases(28.4%), Korean classical musicians were 15 cases(22.4%), teachers were 19 cases(28.4%), pastors were 6 cases(9.0%), drama players were 4 cases(6.0%), radio actors were 2 cases(2.9%), announcers were 2 cases(2.9%). 7) Among 155 cases of vocal nodule and polyp, vocal musicians were 45 cases(29.1%), Korean classical musicians were 23 cases (14.8%), teachers were 61 cases (39.4%), pastors were 13 cases(8.4%), drama players were 7 cases(4.5%), radio actors were 5 cases(3.2%), announcer was 1case(0.6%). 8) Among 15 cases of phonasthenia, vocal musicians were 6 cases (40.0%), teachers were 6 cases (40.0%), Korean classical musician, announcer and pastor were each 1 case(20.0%). 9) Among 16 cases of laryngeal neurosis, drama players were 6 cases(37.5%), vocal musicians were 5 cases(31.3%), teachers were 4 cases(25.0%), announcer was 1 case(6.2%). 10) Among 11 cases of vocal muscle paralysis, teachers were 6 cases(54.5%), pastors were 2 cases (18.2%), vocal musician, Korean classical musician and drama player were each 1 case(27.3%).