Proposals appropriate for submission to this topic area include the assessment and management of voice or upper airway issues in people throughout the lifespan. This includes professional and occupational voice use, gender-affirming voice and communication, neurogenic voice (including laryngeal dystonias), and tracheostomy and ventilator dependence. Additionally, upper airway issues including chronic cough, irritable larynx, inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO), exercise induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO), retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (R-CPD) should be submitted to this topic area. Proposals that address interprofessional competencies or collaborative care outcomes specific to voice and upper airway issues should be included in this topic area.

Research

• Translational, applied, or implementation research related to voice and related disorders of the upper airway
• Outcomes research related to voice or disorders of the upper airway

Professional Education

• Voice production across the lifespan
• Epidemiology of voice disorders and related disorders of the upper airway
• Prevention of voice disorders and related disorders of the upper airway throughout the lifespan
• Instrumental (acoustic, aerodynamic, imaging, new and emerging technologies) and perceptual assessment of voice and related disorders of the upper airway including clinician perception, patient/client perception, public perception, etc. across the lifespan
• Technology as it relates to voice and upper airway issues (mobile applications, devices, software)
• Innovative service delivery models through telepractice technology, in the evaluation, management and service delivery for voice, and disorders of voice and the upper airway
• Populations with unique vocal demands (e.g., professional voice users, singers, gender-affirming, occupational voice, etc.)
• Management of disorders of voice and resonance
• Management of related disorders of the upper airway across the lifespan
• Person-centered care models addressing voice or upper airway issues
• Tissue engineering and vocal fold biomaterials
• Interprofessional team development and implementation for management of voice disorders
• Administrative and regulatory issues related to voice, voice disorders, related disorders of the upper airway and gender-affirming voice
• Education, training, and supervision issues specific to developing competency in assessment and management of voice disorders, related disorders of the upper airway and gender-affirming voice
• Psychosocial impact of voice disorders, related disorders of the upper airway, and gender-affirming voice on daily activities and participation in social contexts
• Ethical considerations in service delivery for voice disorders, related disorders of the upper airway, and gender-affirming voice
• Neurogenic voice problems, including those resulting from Parkinson’s Disease and laryngeal dystonias

Related Topics

Proposals addressing voice disorders  but with a primary focus in:

• Alaryngeal voice after treatment for head and neck cancer should be submitted to the Head and Neck Cancer Practices and Considerations topic area.
• Craniofacial anomalies and associated resonance disorders should be submitted to the Craniofacial and Velopharyngeal Disorders topic area.
• Public speaking and professional communication proposals should be submitted to the Leadership and Professional Practices and Considerations topic area.
• If there are proposals that consider systems or policy changes, they should be considered for Systemic Action: Transforming Systems and Policies for Justice.
• Tracheostomy and ventilator dependence with an emphasis on swallowing should be submitted to Adult Swallowing: Normal and Disordered, Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing, or Head and Neck Cancer Practices and Considerations topic areas.
• Tracheostomy and ventilator dependence with an emphasis on augmentative and alternative communication should be submitted to the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) topic area.
• The use of telepractice in the delivery of service that include technology-based approaches and outcomes at the system level should be submitted to Telepractice topic area.
• Nonstructural velopharyngeal dysfunction (e.g., stress VPI) including that observed in professional voice users should be submitted to the Craniofacial and Velopharyngeal Disorders topic area.