Usage of Heat and Moisture Exchange Devices, Virtual Visits, Masking, and Vaccinations Among People With a Laryngectomy During COVID-19.
Am J Speech Lang Pathol
; 32(2): 592-612, 2023 03 09.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36763837
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
This study described the COVID-19 risk mitigation actions of people with a total laryngectomy (TL) during the pandemic.METHOD:
An online survey was completed by 215 people with a TL who lived in the United States. The survey was open from December 1, 2021, to January 15, 2022.RESULTS:
There was a significant increase in frequency of heat and moisture exchange (HME) device use during the pandemic compared with pre-COVID-19. Frequency of HME use was significantly greater for those who were vaccinated and those who had at least one clinical visit with their speech-language pathologist (SLP). The use of virtual visits increased from 9% pre-COVID-19 to 37% during the pandemic. Seventy percent of respondents were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with virtual visits and 51% judged them "as good as in-person." Eighty percent were vaccinated for COVID-19 and 75% received a booster. One third reported that they did not wear mask over the face or over the tracheostoma. Twenty percent had tested positive for COVID-19 with 70% of these people requiring hospitalization.CONCLUSIONS:
HME use and virtual SLP visits increased during the pandemic and the vaccination rate was high among this group of respondents. Overall, there were still large percentages of people with a TL who were not using an HME, not vaccinated, and did not wear a mask. SLPs should consider reaching out directly to their TL caseload, particularly those not yet seen during the pandemic, to support uptake of COVID-19 mitigation activities specific to people with a TL as the pandemic persists.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
COVID-19
/
Laringectomia
Limite:
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article