The Effect of Online Teaching on Vocal Health Among Saudi Teachers During COVID-19 Pandemic.
Abdullah Alarfaj, Khalid Alyahya, Halal Alutaibi and 2 others
PMID 35637058WHAT IT FOUND
Teachers reported less voice handicap during online teaching than before the pandemic.
However, no significant differences in voice scores were found between those teaching remotely versus in-person during the pandemic, suggesting the overall benefit may not be directly attributable to the teaching mode alone.
Key findings
01The mean Voice Handicap Index-10 score was statistically lower during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic.
02There were no significant differences in voice handicap scores during the pandemic when comparing teachers who were teaching via distance, regular, or both methods.
03Noise was the most frequently reported disturbing factor affecting teaching (44.8%), followed by poor working ergonomics (34.9%) and poor indoor air quality (32.8%).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study design is cross-sectional and relies on self-reported retrospective data, which is subject to recall bias. The questionnaire was distributed via social media, which may introduce selection bias. The survey was originally in Arabic and translated for analysis, which may affect the precision of responses. The study does not control for other pandemic-related lifestyle changes (e.g., reduced social interaction, changes in work hours) that could have influenced voice health independently of the teaching mode.
Declared interests
None reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that online teaching is inherently better for vocal health than in-person teaching. Although overall scores improved from pre-pandemic to during-pandemic, there was no significant difference in voice handicap scores between teachers working remotely versus those working in-person during the pandemic itself.