Vincent Learnihan, Sue-Ellen Hogg, Kimberley Davis
{"title":"The telehealth surge: Speech-language pathology mode of service delivery and consumer characteristics during COVID-19.","authors":"Vincent Learnihan, Sue-Ellen Hogg, Kimberley Davis","doi":"10.1080/17549507.2024.2388061","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To examine the characteristics of speech-language pathology (SLP) consumers prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, with respect to the mode of service delivery within a local health district in New South Wales, Australia, to inform future health service planning.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Observational study examining SLP occasions of service data pre-COVID-19 (2019-2019; <i>n</i> = 6413) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021; <i>n</i> = 6908). Spatial mapping and multilevel models were used to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics, telehealth utilisation, and videoconferencing.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>During COVID-19, SLP occasions of service increased by 7.7% compared to pre-COVID-19. Model 1 found odds of adopting telehealth (telephone or videoconference) during COVID-19 were significantly higher for those aged 0-4 and 5-17 years compared to older age groups. Consumers in inner regional areas were significantly less likely to adopt telehealth than in major city areas, whereas females were significantly more likely to adopt telehealth. Those living in areas experiencing higher relative disadvantage were less likely to use telehealth. Model 2 found odds of adopting videoconferencing only were also significantly higher for the younger age groups (0-4 and 5-17 years) and females.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A rapid transition to a virtual model of care was critical to the successful delivery of SLP services during COVID-19. Immediate prioritisation and integration of targeted models of care, where suitability is high and benefits most likely to be experienced, is feasible.</p>","PeriodicalId":49047,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2024.2388061","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"AUDIOLOGY & SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: To examine the characteristics of speech-language pathology (SLP) consumers prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, with respect to the mode of service delivery within a local health district in New South Wales, Australia, to inform future health service planning.
Method: Observational study examining SLP occasions of service data pre-COVID-19 (2019-2019; n = 6413) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021; n = 6908). Spatial mapping and multilevel models were used to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics, telehealth utilisation, and videoconferencing.
Result: During COVID-19, SLP occasions of service increased by 7.7% compared to pre-COVID-19. Model 1 found odds of adopting telehealth (telephone or videoconference) during COVID-19 were significantly higher for those aged 0-4 and 5-17 years compared to older age groups. Consumers in inner regional areas were significantly less likely to adopt telehealth than in major city areas, whereas females were significantly more likely to adopt telehealth. Those living in areas experiencing higher relative disadvantage were less likely to use telehealth. Model 2 found odds of adopting videoconferencing only were also significantly higher for the younger age groups (0-4 and 5-17 years) and females.
Conclusion: A rapid transition to a virtual model of care was critical to the successful delivery of SLP services during COVID-19. Immediate prioritisation and integration of targeted models of care, where suitability is high and benefits most likely to be experienced, is feasible.
期刊介绍:
International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology is an international journal which promotes discussion on a broad range of current clinical and theoretical issues. Submissions may include experimental, review and theoretical discussion papers, with studies from either quantitative and/or qualitative frameworks. Articles may relate to any area of child or adult communication or dysphagia, furthering knowledge on issues related to etiology, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, or theoretical frameworks. Articles can be accompanied by supplementary audio and video files that will be uploaded to the journal’s website. Special issues on contemporary topics are published at least once a year. A scientific forum is included in many issues, where a topic is debated by invited international experts.