A Survey of Knowledge and Beliefs regarding Autism in Speech-Language Pathologists in India

Exploration of radiographers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices in delivering healthcare to children with autism spectrum disorder

INTRODUCTION

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) poses unique challenges in healthcare settings, including radiographic examinations. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of radiographers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) towards ASD children, a population with increased healthcare needs.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted online, targeting radiographers across the UAE. The instrument utilized was a comprehensive and validated self-administered questionnaire developed based on relevant literature. The questionnaire incorporated sections to gauge radiographers' knowledge about ASD, their attitudes towards working with ASD children, and their adherence to recommended practices during radiographic examinations. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to describe KAP and identify any influencing factors.

RESULTS

Radiographers demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge regarding ASD. Despite the knowledge, misconceptions about ASD nature were common. The radiographers generally acknowledged the need for special care for ASD children during radiographic procedures. High confidence in working with ASD children was noted, particularly among older participants, despite a clear interest in further training. Good adherence to recommended practices was observed, with physical restraints not being a common practice. However, areas for improvement were identified, such as the use of visual aids.

CONCLUSION

Despite a moderate level of knowledge and good practices, there is a need to improve UAE radiographers' understanding and handling of ASD children.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

This study highlights the need for enhancing ASD-specific knowledge and training and integrating supportive tools in radiographic procedures. This comprehensive approach could significantly improve the radiographic service quality for ASD children in the UAE.

Speech-language pathologists' perceived competence in serving people with Parkinson's in India: A cross-sectional survey study

BACKGROUND

Speech-language pathologists are often involved in the assessment and management of communication, cognition and swallowing deficits in people with Parkinson's. However, speech-language pathologists' self-perceived competency levels in serving people with Parkinson's remain elusive, especially in the Indian context where there is an increasing disability burden due to Parkinson's disease. Additionally, the challenges faced by speech-language pathologists in India to provide efficient services to this population are unidentified.

AIMS

To determine speech-language pathologists' self-perceived competence and challenges faced when providing services to people with Parkinson's in India.

METHODS & PROCEDURES

A survey questionnaire was sent to speech-language pathologists through emails and social media asking them questions to evaluate self-perceived competency in serving people with Parkinson's and to identify the challenges to their service delivery. A total of 69 speech-language pathologists responded to the survey.

OUTCOMES & RESULTS

The majority of respondents reported to be competent in dealing with various domains of assessment and management of people with Parkinson's. Although competent, they reportedly faced a few challenges during their service delivery.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

This study provides an insight into the speech-language pathologists' self-perceived competency in serving people with Parkinson's in India, and also identifies the challenges related to interprofessional service delivery. The findings of the study have educational and clinical implications.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

The study delineates speech-language pathologists' self-perceived competency in working with people with Parkinson's in India, a nation that is seeing a constant rise in the incidence of Parkinson's disease. The study the unique challenges within India to speech-language pathologists' service delivery for people with Parkinson's, thus having educational and clinical implications in Parkinson's disease care.

Current practices, supports, and challenges in speech-language pathology service provision for autistic preschoolers

Background

Speech-language pathology services are among the most frequently accessed services for young autistic children. Therefore, understanding the nature of these services, what challenges these clinicians face, and what supports they value is critical for developing appropriate policies and practices that can maximize positive outcomes for children and families. This study had two primary aims. The first was to examine the self-reported assessment and intervention practices of community-based Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) and communicative disorders assistants (CDAs; who provide services under the supervision of a SLP) in supporting preschool children with suspected and diagnosed autism. The second aim was to identify barriers and supports (facilitators) to providing services in the community using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) as a framework.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data from clinicians in Ontario Canada who were providing speech and language services to preschool children with suspected or diagnosed autism. Quantitative data were used to describe clinicians" practices, and qualitative data captured their perspectives on barriers and supports to providing services.

Results

A total of 258 clinicians participated in the survey. On average, clinicians reported almost half of the preschoolers on their caseload had either diagnosed or suspected autism. There was consistency across the skill development areas assessed by SLPs, and targeted during therapy sessions, with the top four areas targeted being: foundational social communication, language, play and pragmatics. However, there was wide variation in speech and language assessment and intervention practices reported by this sample of clinicians (i.e., service delivery models, tools or programs used, length and duration of therapy services, level of collaboration with other professionals). Clinicians identified several barriers to providing services: limited funding and time, lack of inter-professional collaboration, difficulty accessing services, community messaging about autism services, family readiness and clinician knowledge. Supports (facilitators) included: access to autism-focused professional development, inter- and intra-professional collaboration, and access to additional supports in the community.