A Qualitative Study on Voice Use and Evaluation of Professional Voice User Patients

Background & Objectives: We performed a qualitative study on voice use and an evaluation of professional voice user patients by interviewing five experienced voice therapy experts. The purpose was to investigate a common consensus on the topic and to determine an effective and valid evaluation for patients. Methods: Five voice therapy experts with over 12 years of experience evaluating voice disorder patients were interviewed individually, and four graduate students majoring in speech and language pathology transcribed the interviews. Based on the final transcription, final coding books were prepared by the constant comparative method. Results: Three themes and ten subthemes were derived from the analysis. 1) A review of professional voice users: Definition, distribution (jobs, age, gender, etc.) and their voice-related diseases, 2) Voice use: Voice use by teachers, pastors, singers and others, 3) Evaluation: Differences between nonprofessional voice users, the roles of singing teachers, and other considerations. Discussion & Conclusions: We summarized voice use with an evaluation of professional voice users and discussed the considerations for an efficient evaluation for professional voice patients.