Khoza-Shangase Katijah
Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, BOX 57, WITS, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2019 Mar;118:73-78. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.12.021. Epub 2018 Dec 18.
The main aim of this study was to explore factors compromising early intervention (EI) service delivery to hearing impaired children in South Africa, as expressed by their caregivers.
Within a qualitative survey design, a sample of 19 hearing impaired children's caregivers completed structured self-administered questionnaires on factors that they perceive compromise EI for their children. These caregivers included mothers, fathers, grandparents, and legal guardians or adoptive parents of children with hearing impairment. Descriptive analysis of the data was undertaken.
Findings indicated various factors compromising EI as reported by caregivers. These included limited availability of appropriate schools and health care facilities for their hearing impaired children; long distances between the few services that are available and the places of residence of the service users; significant costs linked to the services (such as medical expenses, boarding school facilities costs); limited skills and knowledge of professionals and teachers regarding hearing impairment; inconsistent and conflicting professional opinions about the child's diagnosis and treatment; as well as limited community awareness about hearing impairment along with services available for hearing impaired children.
These findings have important clinical, training, policy, and advocacy implications within the South African context; if both access to and success within the EI services will be successful.
本研究的主要目的是探究南非听力受损儿童的照料者所提出的影响早期干预（EI）服务提供的因素。
在定性调查设计中，19名听力受损儿童的照料者样本完成了关于他们认为会影响其子女早期干预的因素的结构化自填问卷。这些照料者包括听力受损儿童的母亲、父亲、祖父母、法定监护人或养父母。对数据进行了描述性分析。
结果表明，照料者报告了各种影响早期干预的因素。这些因素包括为其听力受损儿童提供的合适学校和医疗保健设施有限；现有的少数服务机构与服务使用者居住地之间距离遥远；与服务相关的高额费用（如医疗费用、寄宿学校设施费用）；专业人员和教师关于听力障碍的技能和知识有限；关于儿童诊断和治疗的专业意见不一致且相互冲突；以及社区对听力障碍和为听力受损儿童提供的服务的认识有限。
这些发现在南非背景下具有重要的临床、培训、政策和宣传意义；若要使早期干预服务的可及性和成功率都取得成功。
