Epidemiology of Communication Disorders and Its Role in Rehabilitation

Background: The prevalence of communication disorders has not received required attention in the literature especially in India. Objective: To determine the prevalence of communication disorders in a multidisciplinary teaching hospital, among speech and language and hearing disorders. Setting and Study Design: A retrospective study conducted at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Materials and Methods: The data was retrieved from the records documented in the Hospital records over one year duration. The disorders were broadly categorized in terms of speech, language and hearing disorders across pediatric (0- 12 years), adult (12-50 years) and geriatric (Above 50 years) age groups. Results: The prevalence was more for auditory disorders (62%) followed by language disorders (24%) and then speech disorders (14%). The disorders were more prevalent in males as compared to females for the disorders under study across all the age groups. Conclusion: Prevalence estimation is essential in the prevention or intervention strategies particularly so for the communication disorders which often go unnoticed yet have major impact on every facet of life. Key Messages: There is a need for large-scale population based prevalence studies on communication disorders in India. They often go unnoticed or does not get prioritized owing to lack of identifiable signs.This study will carry implications for current and future needs in early identification, prevention and intervention programs for these disorders.