The Reported Incidence and Nature of Voice Disorders in the Private Healthcare Context of Gauteng

Objectives The study aimed to determine the incidence and nature of voice disorders, as reported by ear, nose, and throat specialists (ENTs), in the Gauteng private healthcare context. Study Design This is a cross-sectional survey design. Methods The respondents had to be certified ENTs working in the private healthcare context in Gauteng. The survey was sent out electronically to all 94 ENTs, registered with the ENT Society, working in the private healthcare context; thus, no additional requirements had to be met. The survey inquired about the total number of referrals from January 2015 to January 2016, the total number of referrals who were diagnosed with a voice disorder, as well as information regarding the patients such as the nature of the voice disorders. Results Of the 94 surveys sent out, 24 of them were completed (25.5%). The incidence of voice disorders reported was 5.2%. The most commonly diagnosed voice disorder is acute laryngitis (32%). The majority of ENTs (75%) received referrals from general practitioners and referred to speech-language pathologists if the patient presented with a voice disorder. Conclusions The results from this study may enable healthcare professionals to adequately plan service delivery resource allocations to provide appropriate services. Additional studies are required to examine the incidence of voice disorders in the public healthcare context as well as the prevalence of voice disorders in Gauteng.