Experiences of South African Speech-Language Therapists Providing Telepractice during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Survey

Autor/inn/en	Gallant, Agnetha; Watermeyer, Jennifer; Sawasawa, Cynthia
Titel	Experiences of South African Speech-Language Therapists Providing Telepractice during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Survey
Quelle	In: International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 58 (2023) 5, S.1468-1480 (13 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Watermeyer, Jennifer)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1368-2822
DOI	10.1111/1460-6984.12872
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Speech Language Pathology; Allied Health Personnel; COVID-19; Pandemics; Teleconferencing; Attitudes; Needs; Program Effectiveness; Competence; Affordances; Barriers; South Africa + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Telekonferenz; Attitude; Einstellung; Verhalten; Grundbedürfnis; Kompetenz; Südafrika; Süd-Afrika; Republik Südafrika; Südafrikanische Republik
Abstract	Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated that speech--language therapists (SLTs) make a radical change to provide services to their clients safely via telepractice. For many practitioners, telepractice was an unfamiliar mode of practice that had to be implemented under emergency conditions. Limited literature on SLTs' experiences of implementing telepractice in the Global South during this time is available. Aims: To explore the experiences of South African SLTs (N = 45) who implemented telepractice services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods & Procedures: SLTs across the country were invited via professional bodies to participate in an online qualitative survey distributed in 2021. Data were analysed using thematic analysis principles. Outcomes & Results: We describe participants' reports of their current telepractices, discuss their perspectives on accessibility to telepractice for SLTs, clients and caregivers, and working with specific diagnoses, and consider the support needs of SLTs to enhance telepractice services. Most participants work in private practice or school settings with primarily paediatric caseloads. They reported telepractice as a positive experience and felt it was effective, although they judged that some clients were not well served by telepractice. SLTs felt underprepared for the rapid switch to telepractice and the flexibility required, especially given the limited availability of guidelines given the pandemic crisis. Greater preparation is required for telepractice sessions and more attention needs to be paid to supporting caregiver involvement online. Conclusions & Implications: Telepractice involves various barriers and facilitators, many of which seem common across Global North and South contexts. Support is required to enhance current telepractices in terms of computer literacy, technical education, different telepractice methods and caregiver coaching. Our findings have the potential to enable the development of support, training and guidelines to improve SLTs' confidence in providing telepractice whilst delivering quality services in an accessible and safe manner. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01