European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PREVALENCE OF VOCAL FATIGUE AMONG MEDICAL RESIDENTS AFTER LONG SHIFTS OF MEDICAL CARE

Erika Mora González, Sandra Magnolia Arguelles García, Laura Alejandra Villanueva Padrón, José D. Méndez*

ABSTRACT

Vocal fatigue results from prolonged voice use and can affect the performance of professionals who engage in extensive verbal communication. There is little to no information regarding the prevalence of this phenomenon among medical residents who spend long hours providing patient care. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of vocal fatigue among outpatient medical residents at a tertiary care hospital using the Vocal Fatigue Index-19 (VFI-19) questionnaire. This was a prospective, descriptive, single-center, cross-sectional study involving 100 medical residents. Recorded parameters included age, sex, medical specialty, residency year (classified by training level from first to fifth year), and outpatient clinic hours and days. Prevalence was defined as a score >24 on Factor 1 of the VFI-19. Results are expressed as percentages. The overall prevalence of vocal fatigue was 12%, with equal rates among men and women (12% each, 6/50). The highest prevalence by medical specialty was observed among residents in the Pneumology (28.5%) and Urology (18.2%) departments. Regarding workload, the highest number of cases occurred among residents with 5 to 10 hours of outpatient clinic duty per week (13%), while the highest proportion was found in the group working 81 to 90 hours per week (100%; n = 2). The most frequent symptom corresponded to item 17 of the VFI-19, present in 45% of participants. Vocal fatigue was present in 12% of the evaluated medical residents. These findings highlight the need to strengthen vocal health monitoring and prevention among this group of healthcare professionals.

Keywords: Vocal Fatigue Index-19, Medical Residents, Prevalence, Medical Care.