Abstract
Six hospitals where Community Speech and Hearing Therapy Workers (CWs) are working in Gazankula were visited. Firstly, data were collected from records, reports and case files over an 18 month period to determine the nature and prevalence of the communication disorders seen by the CWs. Secondly, the CWs were interviewed about their work situation, organisation of their time and intervention strategies used with communicatively disordered people in order to evaluate the efficacy of their work. Methodological issues requiring consideration when undertaking this type of research are discussed. The results are discussed in terms of the implications for course modifications as well as policy decisions within the profession of Speech and Hearing Therapy.
Highlights
Following this a meeting was held with the Community Speech and Hearing Therapy Workers (CWs) in Gazankulu to discuss the study and its aims and to obtain their consent to participate in the study
From the table it is clear that hearing disorders are the most common types of disorders seen by the CWs at the hospitals
Cerebral palsy (CP), mental retardation (MR), adult acquired aphasia, speech and language disorders, and "learning problems", a category the CWs use to signify children not coping at school, form the bulk of the remaining disorders
Summary
In view of the methodological issues discussed above, it was necessary to use a methodology which incorporated aspects of both descriptive study and participatory evaluation methods. The records of one of the hospitals were examined and it was clear from this that the records kept by the CWs would be a useful data collection source. Following this a meeting was held with the CWs in Gazankulu to discuss the study and its aims and to obtain their consent to participate in the study. All records and reports for all cases seen by the CWs at the hospital, schools and outreach clinics were collected and photocopied for later data analysis; therapyfiles were perused to determine the type of therapy being given; and therapy and assessment sessions were observed. A fourth category, 'unspecified', was used for all the record entries which did not provide ages
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