Current issues in voice assessment and intervention in Israel

The prevalence of voice disorders in Israel has never been evaluated systematically. The prevalence data on voice disorders in the general population range between 0.65% (Morley, 1952) to 15% (Laguaite, 1972). In a recent local survey conducted in Israel it was reported that 15.8% of 610 naïve respondents in the age range of 20–70 years felt they had a voice problem. One-third of them (34%) reported having hoarseness over the past year (Amir, 2011). These findings show that the prevalence of voice disorders in Israel is similar to that observed in other western developed countries.