able . SLP services within WV have not been described in previous work . Similarly , SLP perceptions of their patients ’ service utilization and their services during the pandemic were unavailable . Consequently , the aim of this study was to document the types of services provided by SLPs , note telehealth use , and describe SLP perceptions of challenges and benefits from telehealth in WV .
METHODS
We implemented a cross-sectional , statewide survey design using the secure online Qualtrics platform to assess SLP perceptions of feeding and swallowing services and telehealth in WV from April 2020 to September 2020 . Participants were asked to respond to a 52-item survey .
PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT AND ELIGIBILITY
Participants were required to provide consent and confirm eligibility prior to accessing the survey . Criteria for eligibility included : ( 1 ) licensure as a SLP in WV and ( 2 ) currently providing speech language pathology services in WV . Participants were required to self-determine eligibility criteria prior to being granted access to the survey . If a potential participant did not meet all eligibility criteria by the initial demographic questions , they were informed they were not eligible to participate in the study . Data was collected anonymously , and there was an incentive for the chance to win a $ 25 Amazon gift card for participation for the first survey . An incentive for an additional entry to win a $ 25 Amazon gift card was given if the participant completed the follow-up survey .
MEASURES
This study was adapted from the purpose-built survey designed by Raatz and colleagues . 15 Questions were modified to be pertinent to the healthcare system in the United States and split into two surveys . The initial survey contained 22 questions that pertained to ( 1 ) general demographics and ( 2 ) feeding services / experiences . At the end of the initial survey , participants were asked if they wanted to participate in a follow-up survey . The follow-up survey contained a maximum of 30 questions that pertained to ( 3 ) telehealth experiences and ( 4 ) perceptions and experiences providing pediatric feeding services via telehealth .
TABLE 1 : Sample Characteristics Characteristic N (%) Respondent age 24-30 years 30 24.2 30-40 years 34 27.4 40-50 years 27 21.8 Number of years practicing as SLP 20 + years 45 36.3 10-20 years 33 26.6 2-5 years 20 16.1 Employment status Full time 96 77.4 Part time 13 10.5 As needed 12 9.7 Types of experience Clinician ( independent provider ) 96 77.4 Supervisory position 10 8.1 Clinical fellow 8 6.5 Employment setting ( one or multiple ) Primary and secondary education 46 37.4 Home-based setting 46 37.4 Hospital / acute care 30 24.4 Residential health care facilities 26 21.1
N represents the number of respondents reporting the characteristic and (%) represents the frequency of the characteristic as a percentage of the total sample . Frequencies do not all add up to total sample due to missing variables across the respondents .
PROCEDURES
Participants were recruited through a list provided by the WV Board of Examiners Speech Language Pathology and Audiology , which contained self-reported emails for speech language pathologists licensed in WV . The list was maintained by the authorization body and private to the investigators . All materials were sent by a board representative . Advertisements were also posted to private speech language pathology groups on social media platforms that potentially provide feeding and swallowing intervention to pediatric populations . The recruitment email and advertisement contained a brief summary of the project and a link to the online survey . A reminder email was sent to the original sample four weeks after the initial email . All study criteria and procedures were reviewed and approved by the West Virginia University Institutional Review Board .
DATA ANALYSIS
Descriptive statistics were used to examine the sample characteristics and distributions of the study variables . The authors examined common practices of participants using distribution analyses as well . Responses to most questions were reported as a percentage of the total cohort , including any non-responders (% NR ). Counts were used to report the frequency of responses of subgroups ( e . g ., respondents requesting the follow-up survey ).
RESULTS SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS
Table 1 provides select characteristics about survey respondents in this study . There
West Virginia Medical Journal • June 2021 • 35