TY - JOUR
T1 - Independence of Vocal Load From Vocal Pathology Across Singing Genres
AU - Zuim, Ana Flavia
AU - Gerhard, Julia
AU - Lloyd, Adam T.
AU - Rosow, David E.
AU - Lundy, Donna S.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge Sheryl L. Rifas-Shiman, MPH, for her assistance and guidance with statistical analysis.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Voice Foundation
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Objective: To investigate the extent to which vocal load is associated with previous diagnosis of a vocal pathology among four major genres of singers (primarily classical, primarily musical theatre (MT), classical and MT combined, and contemporary commercial music only). Study design: Cross sectional survey. Methods/design: An anonymous online survey was sent out to about 1000 professional singers through convenience sampling to touring companies, opera companies, MT companies, agents, directors and musical directors. Social media and email were used to solicit participation in the study. We utilized means and standard deviations for continuous characteristics and frequencies and percentages for categorical characteristics and calculated P values to assess whether differences were statistically significant. Results: A total of 396 professional singers completed the survey, yielding a 40% response rate. Nonprofessional singers, incomplete surveys, and respondents <18 years old were excluded, resulting in a total of 238 responses. Among the 238 participants, 32% were performing in the classical style primarily, 33% in the MTstyle primarily, 15% in both classical and MT, and 20% in other contemporary styles only. Mean age was highest among CV + MT and lowest among primarily MT. Combined classical/MT singers were most likely to have a career outside of vocal performance and continue to work in that career followed by other contemporary styles, classical and MT (P = 0.02). Participants in the combined classical/MT group were most likely to have a reported history of vocal pathology followed by classical, other contemporary styles and MT (not statistically significant). However, participants in the contemporary styles were most likely to have a history of more than one type of vocal pathology. Mean vocal load was highest for the MT group. Other nonsinging factors proved significant such as allergy, hydration and acid reflux. Symptoms of allergies were found to be significant across singing genres. A possible reverse causality association was identified in regards to water intake. Participants with acid reflux were three times more likely to have ever reported vocal pathology. Conclusion: Vocal load was not significantly associated with vocal pathology across singing genres; however other nonsinging factors such as allergy, reflux and water intake were significantly associated with vocal pathology.
AB - Objective: To investigate the extent to which vocal load is associated with previous diagnosis of a vocal pathology among four major genres of singers (primarily classical, primarily musical theatre (MT), classical and MT combined, and contemporary commercial music only). Study design: Cross sectional survey. Methods/design: An anonymous online survey was sent out to about 1000 professional singers through convenience sampling to touring companies, opera companies, MT companies, agents, directors and musical directors. Social media and email were used to solicit participation in the study. We utilized means and standard deviations for continuous characteristics and frequencies and percentages for categorical characteristics and calculated P values to assess whether differences were statistically significant. Results: A total of 396 professional singers completed the survey, yielding a 40% response rate. Nonprofessional singers, incomplete surveys, and respondents <18 years old were excluded, resulting in a total of 238 responses. Among the 238 participants, 32% were performing in the classical style primarily, 33% in the MTstyle primarily, 15% in both classical and MT, and 20% in other contemporary styles only. Mean age was highest among CV + MT and lowest among primarily MT. Combined classical/MT singers were most likely to have a career outside of vocal performance and continue to work in that career followed by other contemporary styles, classical and MT (P = 0.02). Participants in the combined classical/MT group were most likely to have a reported history of vocal pathology followed by classical, other contemporary styles and MT (not statistically significant). However, participants in the contemporary styles were most likely to have a history of more than one type of vocal pathology. Mean vocal load was highest for the MT group. Other nonsinging factors proved significant such as allergy, hydration and acid reflux. Symptoms of allergies were found to be significant across singing genres. A possible reverse causality association was identified in regards to water intake. Participants with acid reflux were three times more likely to have ever reported vocal pathology. Conclusion: Vocal load was not significantly associated with vocal pathology across singing genres; however other nonsinging factors such as allergy, reflux and water intake were significantly associated with vocal pathology.
KW - Singing
KW - Vocal load
KW - Vocal pathology
KW - Vocal pedagogy
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jvoice.2020.12.038
DO - 10.1016/j.jvoice.2020.12.038
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85099820057
JO - Journal of Voice
JF - Journal of Voice
SN - 0892-1997
ER -