Determining the Knowledge, Attitude and Education Requirements of the Students of the Speech and Language Therapy Department Regarding Dementia

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the undergraduate speech and language therapy (SLT) department students' knowledge, attitudes, and educational requirements regarding dementia. Material and Methods: A total of 199 students from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades of the SLT department were included in the study. The Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS), Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale (DKAS) and Education Requirements Questionnaire (ERQ) were sent to the students via Google Forms. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that there was a significant difference (p<.001) between the mean DKAS scores of the 1st and 2nd grades and the 3rd and 4th grades. The 4th graders' mean ERQ scores were found to be significantly higher than the 1st graders' mean ERQ scores (p=.014). The 4th graders' mean DAS scores were found to be significantly higher than the 1st graders' (p<.05). The mean DKAS and DAS scores showed a weak but positive correlation (r=.289, p<.01). Discussion: This study provided significant findings on the knowledge, attitudes, and educational requirements of SLT department students regarding dementia. It is important to provide students an opportunity to participate in clinical practice and to include more dementia-related courses into the SLT department's undergraduate curriculum.

Keywords

• Dementia
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Alzheimer's Disease

Dil ve Konuşma Terapisi Bölümü Öğrencilerinin Demansa Yönelik Bilgi, Tutum ve Eğitim Gerekliliklerinin Belirlenmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, dil ve konuşma terapisi (DKT) bölümü lisans öğrencilerinin, demansa yönelik bilgi düzeylerinin, tutumlarının ve eğitim gerekliliklerinin belirlenmesidir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya, DKT bölümü 1. sınıf, 2. sınıf, 3. sınıf ve 4. sınıf öğrencilerinden toplam 199 öğrenci dahil edilmiştir. Demans Tutum Ölçeği (DTÖ), Demans Bilgi Değerlendirme Ölçeği (DBDÖ) ve Eğitim Gereklilikleri Anketi (EGA) öğrencilere Google Formlar üzerinden iletilerek veriler toplanmıştır. Sonuçlar: Bu çalışmada, 3. ve 4. sınıfların ortalama DBDÖ puanları, 1. ve 2. sınıfların ortalama DBDÖ puanlarından anlamlı olarak daha yüksek bulunmuştur (p<0,001). EGA ortalama puanlarında ise, 4. sınıfların ortalama EGA puanları 1. sınıfların ortalama EGA puanlarından anlamlı olarak daha yüksek bulunmuştur (p= 0,014). 4. sınıfların ortalama DTÖ puanları, 1. sınıfların ortalama DTÖ puanlarından anlamlı olarak daha yüksek bulunmuştur (p<0,05). DBDÖ ortalama puanı ile DTÖ ortalama puanı arasında pozitif yönde anlamlı zayıf bir korelasyon bulunmuştur (r=0,289, p<0,01). Tartışma: Bu çalışma ile, DKT bölümü öğrencilerinin demans bilgi düzeyleri, tutumları ve eğitim gereklilikleri ile ilgili önemli sonuçlara ulaşılmıştır. DKT bölümü lisans programlarında demansla ilgili konulara daha fazla yer verilmesi ve öğrencilere klinik uygulama yapma fırsatı tanınması oldukça önemlidir.

Keywords

• Demans
• Dil ve Konuşma Patolojisi
• Alzheimer

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