RESUMEN
PURPOSE: This study investigated university students' knowledge of and attitudes toward the professions of communication sciences and disorders (CSD), with a goal to determine if there were any differences between responses received from minority students compared with responses from White/Caucasian students. The survey collected information about the experiences and exposure that university students have to these professions and professionals before and during their undergraduate years, along with possible reasons male students and students from diverse backgrounds are less likely to enroll in CSD programs. METHOD: Surveys were distributed via Qualtrics and hard copy over 12 weeks of a fall semester to a sample of over 4,000 undergraduate students at a middle-sized public research university in southwest Pennsylvania. Responses were obtained from a total of 524 students. RESULTS: In this group of university students, more students reported having obtained information from their high schools regarding speech-language pathology than audiology. More females than males were aware of CSD professions prior to entering college, and non-White students reported knowing less about both the degree programs and professions of audiology and speech-language pathology than their White peers. Neither the non-White group nor males reported much interest in pursuing CSD degrees or professions. CONCLUSIONS: Non-White students and males reported being exposed less to CSD professions (thus knowing less) than their White and female counterparts, but overall interest in these professions appeared to be lacking for the non-White and male students within this study. Additional research from a larger group of minority and male students nationwide is needed to determine if CSD is universally not attractive to these groups.
Asunto(s)
Audiología , Patología del Habla y Lenguaje , Audiología/educación , Comunicación , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Patología del Habla y Lenguaje/educación , Estudiantes , UniversidadesRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of lead, cadmium, arsenic, toluene, and xylene exposure on hearing compared with noise exposures alone. METHODS: Personnel at a shipyard (nâ=â1266) were divided into four exposure groups on the basis of concentrations: low metals/low solvents/high noise (reference group), high metals/high solvents/low noise, high metals/low solvents/high noise, and high metals/high solvents/high noise. Hearing changes occurring from the years 2004 to 2015 were analyzed. RESULTS: Hearing changes were significantly worse at 1000âHz (Pâ=â0.007), averaged across 2000 to 4000âHz (Pâ=â0.014), and averaged across 500 to 6000âHz (Pâ=â0.014) for the high metals/high solvent/high noise group compared with the low metals/low solvents/high noise only reference group. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous exposures classified as high for metals/solvents/noise appear to damage hearing more than exposure to noise alone. Hearing conservation programs should take into consideration combined exposures to metals, solvents, and noise, not simply exposure to noise.
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Pérdida Auditiva Provocada por Ruido/inducido químicamente , Ruido en el Ambiente de Trabajo/efectos adversos , Exposición Profesional/efectos adversos , Navíos , Adulto , Arsénico/toxicidad , Audiometría , Cadmio/toxicidad , Femenino , Humanos , Plomo/toxicidad , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Tolueno/toxicidad , Xilenos/toxicidadRESUMEN
PURPOSE: The purpose of this article was to provide multiple examples of how (central) auditory processing disorder ([C]APD) is being evaluated and treated at various audiology clinics throughout the United States. METHOD: The authors present 5 cases highlighting the diagnosis and treatment of (C)APD in children and adults. Similarities and differences between these cases have been showcased through detailed histories, evaluation protocol, and treatment options. When possible, the rationale for evaluation procedures and intervention processes were described and compared with guidelines and findings within the literature. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: These cases illustrate the varied processes and clinical protocols by which children and adults are evaluated, diagnosed, counseled, and treated for (C)APD. In addition, similarities and differences between the referral source, evaluation team, developmental history, comorbidities, test battery, recommendations, and remediations were described. The multiple clinic sites, diversity of clinical philosophies, variety of test measures, and diversity of patient populations make these cases ideal for showcasing the assortment of methodologies used with patients who present with histories and characteristics consistent with (C)APD.
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Trastornos de la Percepción Auditiva/diagnóstico , Trastornos del Desarrollo del Lenguaje/diagnóstico , Adulto , Audiometría de Tonos Puros , Trastornos de la Percepción Auditiva/rehabilitación , Umbral Auditivo , Niño , Manejo de la Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Trastornos del Desarrollo del Lenguaje/rehabilitación , Terapia del Lenguaje , Masculino , Logopedia , Rondas de Enseñanza , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
PURPOSE: The main goals of this study were to determine if school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have access to the services of an audiologist and if those SLPs felt they obtained benefit from the audiologist's services. Additional goals included gathering information about SLPs' (a) understanding of basic audiological concepts typical for a school setting, (b) added job responsibilities brought about by lack of access to an audiologist, and (c) collaboration with audiologists. METHOD: A 36-item survey was e-mailed to 1,000 SLPs listed with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association as being employed in schools. Two-hundred and nine respondents from 42 states returned the survey. RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of the responding SLPs had access at some time to an audiologist, with 88% of them believing they received benefit from the services provided by that audiologist, primarily in the areas of hearing screenings and in-services. Thirty-eight SLPs (58%) who did not have access to an audiologist reported having additional job responsibilities. CONCLUSION: Many school-based SLPs believed they received benefit from an audiologist when they had access to one. Collaboration between these professionals was strong, yet findings indicate that audiologists could improve their collaborative efforts with SLPs and assist them in working within their scope of practice and maintaining their ethical standards.
Asunto(s)
Audiología , Conducta Cooperativa , Sordera/rehabilitación , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Comunicación Interdisciplinaria , Trastornos del Desarrollo del Lenguaje/rehabilitación , Servicios de Salud Escolar , Patología del Habla y Lenguaje , Adulto , Niño , Recolección de Datos , Femenino , Necesidades y Demandas de Servicios de Salud , Investigación sobre Servicios de Salud , Audífonos , Humanos , Perfil Laboral , Masculino , Derivación y Consulta , Resultado del Tratamiento , Estados Unidos , Carga de TrabajoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This case report describes the use of an electrotactile vestibular substitution system (ETVSS; BrainPort Balance Device, Wicab, Inc., Middleton, WI) to facilitate balance and gait of an individual with bilateral vestibular hypofunction and bilateral transtibial amputation. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 69-year-old man with a 2.5-year history of bilateral vestibular hypofunction, due to gentamicin toxicity, participated in a rehabilitation program using an ETVSS. Because of lower extremity infection, the patient had bilateral prosthetic legs after bilateral transtibial amputation. INTERVENTION: Focused on the following three phases of training with the ETVSS during 12 months: orientation, clinical training, and in-home training. The patient was periodically assessed with balance and gait tests, in addition to surveys of patient confidence and perception of handicap. All testing was performed without ETVSS. OUTCOMES: : Improvements were demonstrated in all outcome measures used with this patient. Sensory Organization Test composite scores increased from 23 to 48, Dynamic Gait Index scores increased from 11/24 to 21/24, and distance walked during six minutes increased from 212 to 363 m. Standing balance with eyes-closed improved from less than two seconds to more than 20 minutes. The patient reported improved confidence and lower perception of handicap with fewer functional limitations. DISCUSSION: For this patient, an intervention program of sensory substitution using the ETVSS improved outcome measures beyond those previously achieved with vestibular rehabilitation therapy and balance training. The feedback provided by the ETVSS may have facilitated the patient's ability to use proprioception, thus allowing better balance control.