ORIGINAL ARTICLE
PREVALENCE OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS IN A RURAL POPULATION OF INDIA
,
 
,
 
,
 
,
 
 
 
More details
Hide details
1
All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Manasagangothri, Mysore, India
 
 
Publication date: 2013-06-30
 
 
Corresponding author
Sreeraj Konadath   

Sreeraj Konadath, Lecturer in Audiology & NSS Programme Officer, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Manasagangothri, Mysore, 570 006, India, e-mail: sreerajkonadath@aiishmysore.in
 
 
J Hear Sci 2013;3(2):41-49
 
ABSTRACT
Background:
Information about the prevalence of communication disorders is essential for planning prevention and rehabilitation services. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of communication disorders between gender and across age groups among a rural population of India. This work reports a study conducted as part of field work by staff and students of the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Manasagangothri, Mysore, India.

Material and Methods:
A door-to-door survey of 15,441 individuals from 15 villages, irrespective of their age and gender, was conducted as phase I of the study. The villages were selected on a random basis. A modified high-risk questionnaire was administered to identify individuals at risk of communication disorders. Those found at risk were referred for detailed audiological and/or speech and language evaluation in phase II of the study

Results:
The survey found that the prevalence of individuals at risk of communication disorders was 6.07%. Among those at risk, and who attended phase II of the study, the prevalence of audiological and/or otological disorder was found to be 90.58% and that of speech and language disorder was 9.42%. Among those at risk of speech and language disorder, 22.9% were found to be at risk of mental retardation.

Conclusions:
Audiological and/or otological disorders were found to be more prevalent among communication disorders in the selected population. In general, males showed a higher prevalence of communication disorders compared to females. The prevalence of severe and moderately severe hearing loss was found to be higher than other degrees of hearing loss. Child language disorders and reading/writing difficulties were the most prevalent problems among speech and language disorders.

REFERENCES (34)
1.
McKinnon DH, McLeod S, Reilly S. The prevalence of stuttering, voice and speech-sound disorders in primary school students in Australia. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch, 2007; 38(1): 5–15.
 
2.
Baker L, Cantwell DP. Factors associated with the development of psychiatric illness in children with early speech/language problems. J Autism Dev Disord, 1987; 17(4): 499–510.
 
3.
Bryan K. Preliminary study of the prevalence of speech and language difficulties in young offenders. Int J Lang Comm Dis, 2004; 39: 391–400.
 
4.
Felsenfeld S, McGue M, Broen PA. Familial aggregation of phonological disorders: Results from a 28-year follow-up. J Speech Hear Res, 1995; 38(5): 1091–107.
 
5.
Ruben R.J. Redefining the survival of the fittest: Communication disorders in the 21st century. Laryngoscope, 2000; 110(2): 241–45.
 
6.
Mosby’s Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. St. Louis (MO): Mosby, 2009.
 
7.
Law J, Boyle J, Harris F, Harkness A, Nye C. Prevalence and natural history of primary speech and language delay: Findings from a systematic review of the literature. Int J Lang Comm Dis, 2000; 35(2): 165–88.
 
8.
De Andrade CRF. Prevalência das desordensidiopáticas da fala e da linguagememcrianças de um aonzeanos de idade. Rev Saúde Pública, 1997; 31(5): 495–501 [in Portuguese].
 
9.
Beitchman JH, Nair R, Clegg M, Patel et al. Prevalence of speech and language disorders in 5-year-old kindergarten children in the Ottawa-Carleton region. J Speech Hear Disord, 1986; 51(2): 98–110.
 
10.
Shriberg LD, Tomblin JB, McSweeny JL. Prevalence of speech delay in 6-year-old children and comorbidity with language impairment. J Speech Lang Hear Res, 1999; 42(6): 1461–81.
 
11.
Silva PA, McGee R, Williams SM. Developmental language delay from three to seven years and its significance for low intelligence and reading difficulties at age seven. Dev Med Child Neurol, 1983; 25: 783–93.
 
12.
Craig A, Hancock K, Tran Y, Craig M, Peters K. Epidemiology of stuttering in the community across the entire life span. J Speech Lang Hear Res, 2002; 45(6): 1097–105.
 
13.
Duff M, Proctor A, Yairi E. Prevalence of voice disorders in African American and European American pre-schoolers. J Voice, 2004; 18(3): 348–53.
 
14.
Tomblin JB, Records NL, Buckwalter P, Zhang X, Smith E, O’Brien M. Prevalence of specific language impairment in kindergarten children. J Speech Lang Hear Res, 1997; 40; 1245–60.
 
15.
Roongpraiwan R, Ruangdaraganon N, Visudhiphan P, Santikul K. Prevalence and clinical characteristics of dyslexia in primary school students. J Med Assoc Thai, 2002; 85(4): 1097–103.
 
16.
Theys C, van Wieringen A, Sunaert S, Thijs V, De Nil LF. A one year prospective study of neurogenic stuttering following stroke: incidence and co-occurring disorders. J Commun Disord, 2011; 44(6): 678–87.
 
17.
Annie J, Rupa V, Job A, Jospeh A. Hearing impairment and otitis media in a rural primary school in South India. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol, 1997; 39(2): 133–38.
 
18.
National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) report. Disabled Persons in India. Report No. 485. 2002; 58/26/1.
 
19.
Singh AP, Chandra MR, Dayal D, Chandra R, Bhushan V. Prevalence of deafness in a rural population of Lucknow District. Indian J Public Health, 1980; 24(1): 23–51.
 
20.
Kumar SG, Das A, Bhandary PV, Soans SJ, Kumar HNH, Kotian MS. Prevalence and pattern of mental disability using Indian disability evaluation assessment scale in a rural community of Karnataka. Indian J Psychiatry, 2008; 50: 21–23.
 
21.
Das SK, Biswas A, Roy T et al. A random sample survey for prevalence of major neurological disorders in Kolkata. Indian J Med Res, 2006; 124: 163–72.
 
22.
Anitha T, Yathiraj A. Modified High Risk Registers (HRR) for Professional and Non Professional Formulation and its Efficacy. Unpublished Independent Project submitted to Univ. of Mysore, as a part fulfillment of M.Sc. (Sp. & Hg.) 2001.
 
23.
Clark J.G. Uses and abuses of hearing loss classification. ASHA, 1981; 23: 493–500.
 
24.
Bzoch K.R., League R. Receptive- Expressive Emergent Language Scale, 1970; Pro-ed, Austin, Texas.
 
25.
Enderby P., Pamela M. Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment 1983; College hill press.
 
26.
Riley GDA. Stuttering Severity Instrument for children and adults 1994; Austin: Pro-Ed.
 
27.
Babu RM, Ratna N, Bettagiri R. Test of articulation in Kannada 1972. The JAIISH, 1972; 3: 7–19.
 
28.
Bharatraj J. Vineland Social Maturity Scale- Indian Adaptation: Enlarged version. 1992; Mysore: Swayamsiddha prakashanam.
 
29.
Bharatraj J. Developmental Screening Test. 1997; Mysore: Swayamsiddha prakashanam.
 
30.
SPSS Inc. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 2004; (Version 12.0.2) [Computer software]. Chicago.
 
31.
Bhat R, Babu SK. Health Insurance and Third Party Administrators: Issues and Challenges. Econ Polit Wkly, 2004; 39(28): 10–16.
 
32.
Panchamukhi PR. Social Impact of Economic Reforms in India: A Critical Appraisal. Econ Polit Wkly, 2000; 4(2): 836–47.
 
33.
Dev SM, Mooij J. Social Sector Expenditure in the 1990s: An Analysis of Central and State Budget. Econ Polit Wkly, 2002; 37(9): 2.
 
34.
Béria JU, Raymann BCW, Gigante LP et al. Hearing impairment and socioeconomic factors: a population-based survey of an urban locality in southern Brazil. Rev Panam Salud Publica, 2007; 21(6): 381–87.
 
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top