SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS最新文献

Background:  The South African Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) Regulations, mandates employers to conduct a noise risk assessment, which records specific variables for determining the status of exposure and the need for implementation of control measures.

Objectives:  The study evaluated company noise risk assessment practices for alignment with legal requirements and specific risk assessment guidelines.

Method:  Convenience sampling was used to select the four manufacturing and utilities companies that participated in the study. The participating companies submitted latest noise risk assessment records for evaluation through the READ approach.

Results:  The noise risk assessment records of three of the four companies omitted the recording of factors such as the reasonable deterioration in or failure of control measures, adequate control and formalisation of hearing conservation programmes (HCPs). When evaluated against the South African National Standard 31000 Risk Assessment guidelines, the risk assessment processes of the respective companies were lacking in addressing aspects related to establishing communication and consultation, evaluation, adapting, continually improving, leadership and commitment, and integration.

Conclusion:  The recorded information on the noise risk assessment reports from the four participating companies were incomplete, negatively affecting subsequent HCP management processes and decision-making. Future studies should investigate other aspects such as the implementation status of recommended noise controls as well as their effectiveness as recorded in the noise risk assessment records.Contribution: This study provided firsthand insights of company noise risk assessment practices, specifically identifying functional and technical areas requiring improvement to enhance current efforts directed towards the minimisation of NIHL within HCPs. The study highlighted that the current practices on recording noise risk assessment information remain incomplete, adversely diminishing the impact of the assessment as an important decision-making tool. The identified technical issues specifically, when addressed, will increase trust on the decisions derived from noise risk assessments.

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

Background: Sibling relationships, one of the most extended relationships in life, contribute to an individual's social and emotional development. However, this relationship may be influenced if one sibling has a hearing loss.

Objectives: This study explored the influence of a hearing loss on the sibling relationship by gaining the perspectives of the sibling with normal hearing.

Method: Adopting a phenomenological research design, semi-structured online interviews were conducted using Zoom and WhatsApp with nine participants who have siblings with hearing loss.

Results: Hearing loss may significantly impact the normal hearing sibling's quality of life, affecting their psychological and social well-being, familial and peer relationships and overall experiences. Personal development, independence, maturity and closer sibling bonds were some of the positive influences reported by the participants. Attendance to aural rehabilitation therapy sessions, knowledge of hearing loss, personalities and household living arrangements positively influenced the relationship between siblings. The lack of attendance to aural rehabilitation sessions resulted in communication difficulties between siblings.

Conclusion: There is a need to include siblings in aural rehabilitation and family engagements related to the child with hearing loss to provide a holistic and more effective rehabilitation and adjustment process.Contribution: This study aimed to improve family-centred intervention as it is focussing on the siblings' perspectives of the hearing loss. Furthermore, previous studies have generally focussed on adults and not much research has been conducted surrounding the sibling relationship.

Background: Decolonisation of the Speech-Language and Hearing (SLH) professions in South Africa to be Afrocentric is a current focus. These professions continue to hold white Eurocentric English and/or Afrikaans knowledges and practices, which are reflective of the minority. As diversity of students in higher education increases, the obvious incongruency between the language of learning and teaching (English) and institutional culture of the programmes and students who use English as an Additional Language (EAL) becomes heightened.

Objectives: The study's aim was to explore the learning and social experiences of EAL undergraduate students in a South African SLH training programme, with a specific focus on students' experiences in patient, clinical supervisor and peer interactions in clinical situations.

Method: A total of 24 participants recruited through purposive sampling were included in this cross-sectional mixed-method online survey design study. Data from the survey were analysed through descriptive and thematic analysis approaches.

Results: Findings reveal a less than positive impression of EAL students in the current SLH training programme as far as their clinical experiences were concerned. The institutional culture of the SLH programme was reported to be disadvantageous to EAL students. These findings raise important implications for SLH training programmes, the regulator and the country's SLH professions as a whole.

Conclusion: This study sheds light on the significant incongruency between the existing institutional culture and the increasing diversity of students, particularly those who use EAL, in South African SLH training programmes.Contribution: Findings not only illuminate the challenges but also offer a path forward towards a more inclusive and representative SLH profession in South Africa, aligned with the principles of decolonization and Afrocentrism.

Background:  There is a lack of prospective research in South Africa's speech therapy private sector, specifically, in the acute stroke population. There is a need to understand the quality of speech therapy services and outcomes post-stroke in the private sector.

Objectives:  This prospective cohort study investigated associations between speech, language, and swallowing conditions (i.e. dysarthria, apraxia of speech, aphasia, dysphagia), and outcomes post-stroke (i.e. length of hospital stay [LOS], degree of physical disability according to the Modified Rankin Scale [mRS], functional level of oral intake according to the Functional Oral Intake Scale [FOIS], dehydration, weight loss, aspiration pneumonia, mortality).

Method:  A prospective design was used to determine the incidence of speech, language, and swallowing conditions post-stroke. Convenience sampling was used to select participants (N = 68). Various statistical tests were used and the alpha level was set at Bonferroni correction p  0.01.

Results:  Co-occurring speech, language, and swallowing conditions frequently occurred post-stroke (88%). Participants who were referred to speech therapy later than 24 h post-admission (52.94%) stayed in hospital for a median of 3 days longer than those who were referred within 24 h (p = 0.042). Dysphagia was significantly associated with moderate to severe physical disability (p  0.01). Dysphagia with aspiration was significantly associated with poor functional level of oral intake, at admission and at discharge (p  0.01). At discharge, aspiration pneumonia was significantly associated with severe physical disability (p  0.01, r = 0.70).

Conclusion:  In South Africa's private sector, co-occurring speech, language, and swallowing conditions commonly occurred post-stroke, and dysphagia was strongly associated with physical disability and poor functional level of oral intake. Length of hospital stay was increased by delayed speech therapy referrals.Contribution: This article contributes data on speech therapy services, communication and swallowing disorders post-stroke, and outcomes in South Africa's private sector.

Background:  Access to services remains the biggest barrier to helping the most vulnerable in the South African Stuttering Community. This novel stuttering therapy, harnessing an unconscious link between eye and tongue movement, may provide a new therapeutic approach, easily communicated and deliverable online.

Objectives:  This study provides both objective and subjective assessments of the feasibility of this intervention. Assessment tools holistically address all components of stuttering in line with comprehensive treatment approaches: core behaviours, secondary behaviours, anticipation and reactions.

Method:  On receipt of ethical approval, this single-subject case design recruited one adult (21-year-old) male with a developmental stutter (DS). The participant gave informed consent and completed four scheduled assessments: baseline, after 5-week training, 3 months post-intervention and 24 months post-completion. The study used objective assessment tools: Stuttering Severity Instrument-4 (SSI-4); Subjective-assessment tools: SSI-4 clinical use self-report tool (CUSR); Overall Assessment of Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES-A); Premonitory Awareness in Stuttering (PAiS) and Self-Report Stuttering Severity* (SRSS) (*final assessment).

Results:  The participant's scores improved across all assessment measures, which may reflect a holistic improvement. The participant reported that the tool was very useful. There were no negative consequences.

Conclusion:  This case report indicates that this innovative treatment may be feasible. No adverse effects were experienced, and the treatment only benefited the participant. The results justify the design of a pilot randomised feasibility clinical trial.Contribution: The results indicate that this is a needed breakthrough in stuttering therapy as the instructions can be easily translated into any language. It can also be delivered remotely reducing accessibility barriers.