A retrospective review of speech-language therapy services provided to adult inpatients at a central-level hospital in Gauteng, South Africa
South African Journal of Communication Disorders
| Field | Value | |
| Title | A retrospective review of speech-language therapy services provided to adult inpatients at a central-level hospital in Gauteng, South Africa | |
| Creator | Stone, Jennifer Hoosen, Azra Hochfelden, Hayley Maposa, Innocent Singh, Shajila | |
| Description | Background: The quadruple burden of disease (BoD) and multimorbidity reflected in South Africa’s public health sector challenges speech-language therapists (SLTs) to optimise patient management in this context. For planning and delivery of appropriate services, it is important to understand the profile of speech-language therapy (SLT) patients and the public healthcare services provided by SLTs.Objectives: This study aimed to describe the prevalence of inpatient adult speech, language and swallowing disorders associated with various medical conditions and South Africa’s BoD, in addition to the target areas and duration of SLT interventions provided at a central public hospital.Method: A retrospective review was conducted on records of 2549 adult inpatients who received SLT services between January 2014 and December 2015 at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. Data, including demographics, medical and SLT diagnoses, and treatment recommendations, were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were most prevalent (77.48%), with multimorbidity of BoD categories in 29.27% of patients. Cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) comprised 52.45% patients, with CeVD, traumatic brain injury, other neurological conditions, cancer and burns comprising 88.74% patients. More than a third of the patients with CeVD were 56 years (n = 486; 36.35%). Dysphagia (48.96%), aphasia (30.95%) and dysarthria (23.62%) were the most common, with 44.68% of patients having multiple SLT diagnoses. The number of SLT sessions significantly correlated with SLT comorbidity (rs = 0.4200; p = 0.0000), but not BoD comorbidity (rs = 0.0049; p = 0.8058).Conclusion: Speech-language therapy patients reflected a heavy NCD burden and multimorbidity. Provision of SLT services should take into consideration a profile of increased complexity of medical conditions and SLT diagnoses. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2020-11-26 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/sajcd.v67i1.707 | |
| Source | South African Journal of Communication Disorders; Vol 67, No 1 (2020); 8 pages 2225-4765 0379-8046 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://sajcd.org.za/index.php/sajcd/article/view/707/1410
https://sajcd.org.za/index.php/sajcd/article/view/707/1409
https://sajcd.org.za/index.php/sajcd/article/view/707/1411
https://sajcd.org.za/index.php/sajcd/article/view/707/1408
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