SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS最新文献

{"title":"The effects of COVID-19 on the rehabilitation of persons with aphasia: A scoping review.","authors":"Khetsiwe P Masuku,&nbsp;Gift Khumalo,&nbsp;Nontokozo Shabangu","doi":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.920","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.920","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong> The impact of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was more pronounced on the well-being of persons with disabilities, especially in low- and middle-income countries. There is documented evidence of the rippling effects of COVID-19 on persons with disabilities. However, not much is known about the impact of COVID-19 on the rehabilitation of persons with aphasia.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong> The scoping review explores how COVID-19 affected the rehabilitation of persons living with aphasia.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong> A scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's framework. A search was conducted on Science Direct, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, ProQuest and Google Scholar, to identify relevant studies published between 2019 and 2022. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong> Most studies regarding the effects of COVID-19 on persons living with aphasia were conducted in the United Kingdom. Five themes emerged from the data, namely, (1) negative impact on rehabilitative care, (2) telehealth and its limitations, (3) impact on social participation, (4) compromised caregiver involvement and (5) mental health challenges.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong> Findings highlight the need for healthcare professionals to pursue innovative ways in which aphasia rehabilitation and conversational support programmes can be made accessible to persons with aphasia, despite the limitations brought about by a pandemic. Telerehabilitation programmes need to be tailored to the needs of persons with aphasia if they are to be successful. This study highlights the importance and need for the prioritisation of mental health services for persons with aphasia and their caregivers during a pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":44003,"journal":{"name":"SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9452926/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33449027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Challenges to infection control in early communication intervention: A scoping review.","authors":"Bilqees Achmat,&nbsp;Berna Gerber","doi":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.911","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.911","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong> Personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are crucial to preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study used a scoping review to investigate the challenges that exist when speech-language therapists (SLTs) use IPC measures for providing early communication intervention (ECI).</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong> To describe existing, recent literature on PPE and IPC measures used in early intervention through a scoping review (steps 1-5) and to consult local clinicians to investigate how SLTs who provide ECI in South Africa relate to these findings (step 6 of the scoping review).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong> A scoping review was performed which followed the PRISMA-ScR framework. Because of limited literature on PPE and IPC measures used by SLTs in providing ECI, the inclusion criteria were adjusted to include PPE and IPC measures used by healthcare workers (HCWs) who provide early intervention to the population of infants and toddlers up to 3 years old. At the time of the review, articles were not older than 10 years and were published between 2011 and 2020. The scoping review included a consultation with South African SLTs who provide ECI, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pilot study was conducted prior to the consultations. Seventeen clinicians were included in total. Data from both the pilot study and main consultation were transcribed and analysed in the results using thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong> Fourteen articles were included in the study. The scoping review of existing literature identified challenges to implementing IPC measures, namely the care and behaviour of young children, infrastructure and system challenges, poor compliance and lack of training and a lack of standard IPC protocols. Clinicians in the consultation phase confirmed these challenges and reported that IPC measures did not consider ECI populations nor the settings in which services were provided. Suggestions from the literature for improved infection control included hand hygiene, improved supplies and infrastructure and education and training. Clinicians in the consultation added practical suggestions for implementing IPC measures within ECI, which included an increase in parent-led intervention as well as cleaning and disinfection strategies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong> This study identified challenges and recommendations of SLTs who use PPE and IPC measures whilst providing ECI. Understanding these challenges can benefit ECI services and future research efforts focused on improving ECI services whilst maintaining IPC standards.</p>","PeriodicalId":44003,"journal":{"name":"SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9453695/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33449026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Simulations as a mode of clinical training in healthcare professions: A scoping review to guide planning in speech-language pathology and audiology during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.","authors":"Nabeelah Nagdee,&nbsp;Ben Sebothoma,&nbsp;Milka Madahana,&nbsp;Katijah Khoza-Shangase,&nbsp;Nomfundo Moroe","doi":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.905","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.905","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong> Simulation plays an important role as an alternative method for training of students, particularly in health education. As a result of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions of face-to-face interactions, traditional teaching methods have been disrupted, increasing the need for alternative methods to supplement modes of student clinical training in healthcare programmes.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong> The scoping review aimed to determine what has been documented about simulation as a mode of clinical training in healthcare professions (HCPs) in order to guide speech-language pathology and audiology (SLPA) professions during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong> A scoping review was conducted. Electronic bibliographic databases including Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus MEDLINE, ProQuest, Google Scholar and WorldCat were searched to identify peer reviewed publications, published in English, between January 2011 and December 2021, and related to the use of simulation in HCPs clinical training programmes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong> A total of 32 articles met the inclusion criteria for this scoping review. Three themes emerged when reviewing the studies: (1) face-to-face simulations as a mode of clinical training, (2) virtual reality simulation and telesimulation as modes of clinical training and (3) simulation as a complementary mode of clinical training. Evidence suggests that whilst simulations are cost-effective, accessible and efficacious as clinical training modes, they need to be combined with other modes of training such as the traditional clinical training to yield better learning outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong> Current findings highlight the role and value of simulation as a clinical training mode during COVID-19 and beyond. However, there are aspects that need to be considered to ensure that this mode of clinical training is effective, with endorsement and regulations by the SLPA Professional Board of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Simulations need to be complemented with traditional clinical training methods. In the context of SLPA, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), simulation can be used to better prepare students for their clinical placement where clinical training platforms are limited and where simulation combined with teletraining or telesupervision can be utilised to increase access to training.</p>","PeriodicalId":44003,"journal":{"name":"SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9452917/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33449025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increasing unemployment rate amongst health professionals: Will there be jobs for newly graduated South African audiologists post-COVID-19?","authors":"Vera-Genevey Hlayisi","doi":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.909","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.909","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong> Before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020, the unemployment rate in South Africa was at its highest in history at 29.1%. During the COVID-19 pandemic to date, unemployment rose even higher to 35.3%. In this context, there has been an increase in the number of unemployed health professionals in South Africa.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong> This study aimed to determine the employment rates of newly graduated South African audiologists and identify the challenges in obtaining and maintaining employment for audiologists in South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong> A descriptive online survey design was used. Participants were recruited online through professional association webpages using the snowball sampling technique. All qualified audiologists registered with the Health Professionals Council of South Africa were eligible to participate.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong> A total of 132 audiologists completed the survey. In the first-year postgraduation, 16% of the participants were unemployed, and this increased to 19% in the second-year postgraduation. In the majority (81%) of employed participants, almost a fifth (19%) were working within non-audiology/healthcare fields. The most common workplace challenges reported were remuneration (37%) followed by lack of resources (18%), workload (18%), work environment (10%), working hours (9%) and, lastly, interprofessional relationships (8%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong> Findings from this study are the first to document employment rates amongst South African audiologists. These findings have the potential to influence the critical discourse on hearing healthcare human resource planning, hearing healthcare labour capacity and potential for growth in the South African context post-COVID-19.</p>","PeriodicalId":44003,"journal":{"name":"SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9453166/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40691515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the online learning experience of first-year speech-language pathology students in a Johannesburg-based university.","authors":"Nancy Barber,&nbsp;Jenna Sher","doi":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.914","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.914","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong> Understanding the learning experiences of first-year speech-language pathology (SLP) students during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is essential to ensure that academic staff are able to support and enhance the transition from secondary to tertiary education. An understanding of the student experience could lead to improved support strategies that could be beneficial for the blended learning environment that the University of the Witwatersrand will be entering from 2022.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong> This research explored the experiences of first-year SLP students in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong> An exploratory mixed-method concurrent triangulation design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from likert scales. Qualitative data were collected from critical incident timelines. Themes were identified from both the Likert scales as well as the critical incident timelines using bottom-up thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong> The majority of participants reflected that their online learning through the pandemic in 2021 was successful. The themes that emerged from this year pertain to 2021 and the specific participants however, it provides an important insight that the students' needs change during a year. As a lecturer, one needs to consider these evolving needs to ensure students have the support that they require to be successful in their learning.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong> This research provided insights into the evolving nature of the support first-year SLP students require in the online learning space during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":44003,"journal":{"name":"SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9350496/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40691065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Health sciences students' perception of the communicative impacts of face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic at a South African University.","authors":"Nasim B Khan,&nbsp;Nolwazi Mthembu,&nbsp;Aishwarya Narothan,&nbsp;Zamahlase Sibisi,&nbsp;Qiniso Vilane","doi":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.890","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.890","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong> The use of face masks and/or shields can pose a challenge during communication. They block facial expressions thus removing visual cues and affect sound transmission making it difficult to hear speech clearly. Given the widespread use of face coverings, it seems reasonable to clarify if communication in typical speakers and listeners has significantly differed. Health science students as future practitioners need to understand challenges that arise from using face coverings.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong> This study aimed to determine health sciences students' perception of the communicative impacts of face coverings.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong> The study employed a descriptive, self-administered online survey, obtaining information from 96 health science undergraduate students.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong> All participants changed their manner of speaking in that they spoke louder when wearing masks and focused more on eye contact when someone was wearing masks. These were statistically significant (p = 0.450 and p = 0.035 respectively). Fifty-three percent reported using more listening effort and feeling anxious when communicating. Approximately 33% indicated that it was challenging to read emotions, such as sad or unhappy, when someone wore a mask. Most, 61%, were positive or very positive about wearing masks. The level of difficulty differed depending on the listening environment. It was harder to understand the doctor, nurse, or other healthcare workers when they wore face coverings than when listening to their friends and family, which had little effect, this being statistically significant (p = 0.025).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong> Challenges envisaged in practice included frequent communication breakdowns, inability to connect and build trust between patient and practitioner, and communicating in noisy environments. Coping strategies, future clinical and research implications were proposed, and limitations acknowledged.</p>","PeriodicalId":44003,"journal":{"name":"SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9350194/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40691064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Middle ear status - structure, function and pathology: A scoping review on middle ear status of COVID-19 positive patients.","authors":"Ben Sebothoma,&nbsp;Katijah Khoza-Shangase","doi":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.910","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.910","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong> The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the latest public health emergency that has presented challenges globally. Limited evidence exists on the association between COVID-19 and middle ear pathologies, regardless of the respiratory nature of some of the core symptoms.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong> This scoping review aimed at exploring evidence on the effects of COVID-19 on middle ear functioning as part of symptom mapping and preventive planning for ear and hearing care.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong> Electronic bibliographic databases, including Medline, ProQuest, PubMed, Science Direct, ERIC and Scopus, were searched to identify peer reviewed publications, published in English, between December 2019 and January 2022, related to the effects of COVID-19 on middle ear functioning. The keywords used as MeSH terms included 'middle ear pathology', 'middle ear disorder', 'otitis media', 'hearing loss', 'hearing impairment', 'audiology' and 'COVID-19' or 'coronavirus'.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong> From eight studies that met the inclusion criteria, the findings revealed that middle ear pathologies occur in this population, with the occurrence ranging from 1.15% to 75%. Tympanic membrane structural changes, otitis media and conductive hearing loss (CHL) were commonly reported. The current findings must be interpreted with caution given that most of the studies reviewed had extremely small sample sizes or were case studies or series, thus limiting generalisability.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong> The findings highlight the value of strategic research planning to collate data during pandemics, ensuring that future studies use appropriate and well-designed methodologies. Trends and patterns of middle ear pathologies in this population must also be established to determine the need for periodic monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":44003,"journal":{"name":"SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9350185/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40691063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feeding practices in public hospitals' neonatal intensive care units: An exploration into the ways in which COVID-19 affected the best practice in Gauteng.","authors":"Kim A Coutts, Joanne Neille, Nicole Louw","doi":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.921","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.921","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong> South Africa's healthcare system has a multitude of pre-existing challenges prior to the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, ranging from reduced number of staff, lack of resources and units being at overcapacity both in the adult and paediatric populations. The neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) require a team approach to ensure best practice with vulnerable infants, but little is known about how the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown restrictions impacted the feeding practices within the NICU.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong> This study aimed to explore the impact that COVID-19 had on the feeding practices within the NICU settings in public hospitals in Gauteng.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong> A qualitative design was employed with data collected in two NICUs in Gauteng. Data were collected in the form of observations and semi-structured interviews with healthcare workers (HCWs) in the NICU. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong> Although the sample size of participants was limited, social distancing proved to be a challenge resulting in mothers and healthcare workers being given restricted access. This had effects on the ability to provide adequate feeding practices and resulted in anxiety for the mothers and mental health challenges for the HCWs when feeding these at-risk infants. A limitation of this study was the use of only two sites.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong> COVID-19 amplified the existing challenges in the NICU. A multidisciplinary and family-centred approach to address feeding challenges is required to offset the challenges resulting from the pandemic and subsequent lockdown.</p>","PeriodicalId":44003,"journal":{"name":"SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9350189/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40691062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In pursuit of increasing the application of tele-audiology in South Africa: COVID-19 puts on the alert for patient site facilitator training.","authors":"Katijah Khoza-Shangase","doi":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.900","DOIUrl":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.900","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong> The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presented and highlighted new and unanticipated challenges to the provision of clinical services, raising an urgency for the application of different models of service delivery, including tele-audiology. In many tele-audiology encounters, a site facilitator is needed at the patient site to help with the hands-on aspects of procedures, and the implications of this requirement are significant for the resource-constrained African context.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong> The aim of this scoping review was to investigate published evidence on training provided to patient site facilitators (PSFs) for tele-audiology application to guide the South African audiology community in tele-audiology application initiatives.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong> Electronic bibliographic databases including Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus MEDLINE and ProQuest were searched to identify peer-reviewed publications, published in English, between 2017 and 2021 related to training of PSFs. The guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) were followed during the screening process as well as for illustrating the process.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong> Findings are discussed under four key themes: (1) type of tele-audiology and the implications thereof, (2) length of training and its implications, (3) diversity in the range of PSFs used and its implications for the training, and (4) heterogeneity in the training.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong> The findings highlight important considerations for tele-audiology application within the African context, specifically decision-making around who can serve in the role of PSFs, as well as content and nature of training required, with implications for policy and regulations as well as human resource strategy. These findings are important for the COVID-19 pandemic era and beyond.</p>","PeriodicalId":44003,"journal":{"name":"SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9350208/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40691061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conducting clinical research in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and lessons for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology research.","authors":"Katijah Khoza-Shangase,&nbsp;Nomfundo Monroe,&nbsp;Ben Sebothoma","doi":"10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.898","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v69i2.898","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presented new and unanticipated challenges to the academic training and performance of clinical research at undergraduate and postgraduate levels of training. This highlighted the need for reimagining research designs and methods to ensure continued generation of knowledge - a core function of a research-intensive university. Whilst adhering to government regulations geared towards protecting both the research participants and researchers, innovative research methods are required.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The purpose of this scoping review is to explore published evidence on innovative clinical research methods and processes employed during COVID-19 and to document challenges encountered and lessons that the fields of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology can learn.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Electronic bibliographic databases including Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, ProQuest were searched to identify peer-reviewed publications, published in English, between 2019 and 2021, related to innovative clinical research methods and processes applied where in-person contact is regulated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant challenges with conducting research in the COVID-19 era were identified, with important lessons learned and numerous opportunities that have relevance for this pandemic era and beyond. These findings are presented under 10 themes that emerged that highlight important considerations for research methods and processes during a pandemic and beyond. The findings of this study also raise implications for telehealth from which low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where resource challenges exist, can benefit.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Challenges and opportunities identified in this review have relevance for the field of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology as far as current and future (beyond COVID-19) clinical research planning is concerned.</p>","PeriodicalId":44003,"journal":{"name":"SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2022-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9350197/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9580422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}