College
College of Health Sciences
Department
School of Speech-Language Pathology
Graduate Level
Master’s
Graduate Program/Concentration
Speech Language Pathology
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
In the United States, healthcare and educational institutions have a deep-rooted history of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and other demographic factors, resulting in unequal access to services and mistreatment of minority populations. This history extends to the field of speech-language pathology, with disparities in service being cited in the literature due to lack of clinician knowledge, non-diverse standardized testing measures, lack of resources and support, among other factors. Policies and legislation in recent decades have attempted to address these serious issues. This survey research investigates the childhood healthcare and educational experiences of individuals born during or after 1981, focusing on how cultural, ethnic, racial, and linguistic factors may have impacted the quality of services they received. These early experiences are also examined in relation to participants' current or familial perceptions of healthcare and education providers, including their present levels of trust. Data were collected through a 31-question survey posted to platforms targeting young adults. Despite efforts to reduce discrimination and bias, findings from 229 respondents representing diverse backgrounds indicate continuing critical inequities in both healthcare and education services across race, SES, and language. Access to and satisfaction with healthcare and education services in the United States is colored by disparities in availability of linguistically appropriate material, culturally-accepting providers, and equitable treatment. Respondents uncover systemic barriers that may inform future strategies for implementing culturally responsive practices in healthcare and education, where speech-language pathologists provide services, ultimately working to dismantle structural inequities that perpetuate disparities in service delivery. Expanding the focus on culturally responsive practice at the academic and workplace level is essential in prioritizing accessibility improvement for underrepresented groups and addressing biases in service to promote and ensure equity in public services.
Keywords
Speech-language pathology, Systemic racism and discrimination, culturally responsive practice, childhood healthcare and educational experiences
Included in
Millennial and Gen-Z Experiences in Healthcare and Education in the US
In the United States, healthcare and educational institutions have a deep-rooted history of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and other demographic factors, resulting in unequal access to services and mistreatment of minority populations. This history extends to the field of speech-language pathology, with disparities in service being cited in the literature due to lack of clinician knowledge, non-diverse standardized testing measures, lack of resources and support, among other factors. Policies and legislation in recent decades have attempted to address these serious issues. This survey research investigates the childhood healthcare and educational experiences of individuals born during or after 1981, focusing on how cultural, ethnic, racial, and linguistic factors may have impacted the quality of services they received. These early experiences are also examined in relation to participants' current or familial perceptions of healthcare and education providers, including their present levels of trust. Data were collected through a 31-question survey posted to platforms targeting young adults. Despite efforts to reduce discrimination and bias, findings from 229 respondents representing diverse backgrounds indicate continuing critical inequities in both healthcare and education services across race, SES, and language. Access to and satisfaction with healthcare and education services in the United States is colored by disparities in availability of linguistically appropriate material, culturally-accepting providers, and equitable treatment. Respondents uncover systemic barriers that may inform future strategies for implementing culturally responsive practices in healthcare and education, where speech-language pathologists provide services, ultimately working to dismantle structural inequities that perpetuate disparities in service delivery. Expanding the focus on culturally responsive practice at the academic and workplace level is essential in prioritizing accessibility improvement for underrepresented groups and addressing biases in service to promote and ensure equity in public services.