Self-reported Vocal Fatigue in University Teaching Staff: Associations with Quality of Life, Mental Health, Burnout and Lifestyle Habits.

BACKGROUND

Voice is essential in university teaching, yet evidence integrating self-reported vocal fatigue with health, lifestyle, sociodemographic, and professional indicators in lecturers remains limited. This study analyzed the associations between two symptom-related dimensions of vocal fatigue, vocal tiredness and physical vocal discomfort, and multidimensional health, lifestyle, sociodemographic, and occupational indicators in university teaching staff.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among teaching staff from the Spanish Network of Health-Promoting Universities. The final sample included 1560 lecturers from 13 Spanish universities, 49.9% men, mean age 47.39 years, SD 11.29. Self-reported vocal fatigue, health-related quality of life, burnout, emotional symptomatology, physical activity, sedentary time, sleep quality, and professional characteristics were assessed.

RESULTS

Vocal Fatigue Index-defined vocal tiredness was identified in 7.1% of participants, and physical vocal discomfort in 12.8%. Women reported higher scores in both dimensions, and sex remained independently associated with both outcomes in adjusted models. Lecturers with vocal tiredness or physical vocal discomfort showed lower health-related quality of life and higher anxiety, depression, stress, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and sleep problems. Hierarchical regression models identified lower physical well-being, higher anxiety, and greater emotional exhaustion as the main factors associated with both outcomes. Physical activity, sedentary time, teaching modality, and number of students taught were not clearly associated with vocal fatigue symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Self-reported vocal fatigue symptoms were present in a meaningful minority of university lecturers and were associated with poorer perceived well-being, greater psychological distress, and higher emotional exhaustion, supporting the inclusion of vocal health in university occupational health strategies.