Education and training on safe occupational voice use for Colombian prospective teachers

Background: Research on voice disorders among teachers indicates an association with various individual factors, including poor vocal techniques, lifestyle habits like smoking, and challenging working conditions such as high background noise levels. Recently, the lack of knowledge and training in healthy voice use for prospective teachers has been identified as another contributing factor. Methods: This study aimed to identify the presence of courses focusing on voice care or training on safe voice use for prospective teachers in Colombia. A review of academic programs for prospective teachers was conducted, examining aspects such as the number of semesters, the initiation of internships, and the inclusion of subjects related to voice care in the curriculum. Results: A total of 180 Colombian undergraduate education programs were analyzed. Around 70% of the programs started the practical activities during the second year of training, implying approximately four years of vocal use during their education. The examination of course plans, subjects, and thematic areas showed no courses directly addressing voice care or healthy voice use. Although certain programs offered classes on communication and oral language, no explicit emphasis on voice care or healthy voice use was identified. Conclusions: The systematic review of academic programs for Colombian prospective teachers highlights the absence of training and education on safe occupational voice use for future occupational voice users, which highlights the need for the implementation of actions to promote vocal health in this population.