Educating speech-language pathologists working in early intervention on environmental health
Abstract Background The goals of this study were (1) to determine early intervention (EI) Speech-Language Pathologists’ (SLPs) level of training and knowledge on environmental toxicants and their effect on infant and child development; and (2) to examine the effectiveness of a continuing education (...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-018-1266-3 |
| _version_ | 1818520825952731136 |
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| author | Emily Zimmerman Catherine Borkowski Stephanie Clark Phil Brown |
| author_facet | Emily Zimmerman Catherine Borkowski Stephanie Clark Phil Brown |
| author_sort | Emily Zimmerman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The goals of this study were (1) to determine early intervention (EI) Speech-Language Pathologists’ (SLPs) level of training and knowledge on environmental toxicants and their effect on infant and child development; and (2) to examine the effectiveness of a continuing education (CE) event designed to enhance the knowledge of EI SLPs on environmental toxicants and their effects on child development. Methods A survey was launched via Qualtrics and posted on the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s Early Intervention Community page to assess environmental health knowledge of SLPs. Results from this survey were used to create an environmental health CE event targeted towards EI SLPs. Attendees were given a pre- and post-test to assess the effectiveness of our program. Results One hundred and fifty-eight participants completed the online survey and a majority (61%, n = 97) of participants reported some level of dissatisfaction with their previous training in regards to environmental exposures. Fifty-six percent (n = 89) of the participants also reported feeling unprepared to be a health advocate regarding environmental exposure concerns within their community. Forty-eight people (26 SLPs and 22 SLP master’s students) attended the CE event. Paired t-tests revealed significant improvements from the pre- to the post- test results among all attendees. Conclusions These findings suggest that SLPs who work in EI feel undertrained and unprepared to advocate for environmental health to the families they serve. This study reveals that CE is one way by which to increase the knowledge base of SLPs on environmental health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:42:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3c1a1464be1498a9854152df7f11a27 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:42:51Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3c1a1464be1498a9854152df7f11a272022-12-22T01:25:00ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202018-07-011811610.1186/s12909-018-1266-3Educating speech-language pathologists working in early intervention on environmental healthEmily Zimmerman0Catherine Borkowski1Stephanie Clark2Phil Brown3Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Northeastern UniversityDepartment of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Northeastern UniversityDepartment of Sociology, Northeastern UniversityDepartment of Sociology, Northeastern UniversityAbstract Background The goals of this study were (1) to determine early intervention (EI) Speech-Language Pathologists’ (SLPs) level of training and knowledge on environmental toxicants and their effect on infant and child development; and (2) to examine the effectiveness of a continuing education (CE) event designed to enhance the knowledge of EI SLPs on environmental toxicants and their effects on child development. Methods A survey was launched via Qualtrics and posted on the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s Early Intervention Community page to assess environmental health knowledge of SLPs. Results from this survey were used to create an environmental health CE event targeted towards EI SLPs. Attendees were given a pre- and post-test to assess the effectiveness of our program. Results One hundred and fifty-eight participants completed the online survey and a majority (61%, n = 97) of participants reported some level of dissatisfaction with their previous training in regards to environmental exposures. Fifty-six percent (n = 89) of the participants also reported feeling unprepared to be a health advocate regarding environmental exposure concerns within their community. Forty-eight people (26 SLPs and 22 SLP master’s students) attended the CE event. Paired t-tests revealed significant improvements from the pre- to the post- test results among all attendees. Conclusions These findings suggest that SLPs who work in EI feel undertrained and unprepared to advocate for environmental health to the families they serve. This study reveals that CE is one way by which to increase the knowledge base of SLPs on environmental health.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-018-1266-3Early interventionSpeech-language pathologyEnvironmental healthEducation |
| spellingShingle | Emily Zimmerman Catherine Borkowski Stephanie Clark Phil Brown Educating speech-language pathologists working in early intervention on environmental health BMC Medical Education Early intervention Speech-language pathology Environmental health Education |
| title | Educating speech-language pathologists working in early intervention on environmental health |
| title_full | Educating speech-language pathologists working in early intervention on environmental health |
| title_fullStr | Educating speech-language pathologists working in early intervention on environmental health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Educating speech-language pathologists working in early intervention on environmental health |
| title_short | Educating speech-language pathologists working in early intervention on environmental health |
| title_sort | educating speech language pathologists working in early intervention on environmental health |
| topic | Early intervention Speech-language pathology Environmental health Education |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-018-1266-3 |
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