1 research outputs found
How aware is the public of the existence, characteristics and causes of language impairment in childhood and where have they heard about it? A European survey
Public awareness of language impairment in childhood (Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)) has been identified as an important determiner of research and clinical service delivery, yet studies directly assessing public awareness are lacking. This study surveyed awareness across 18 countries of Europe.Method: A questionnaire developed by an international team asked whether respondents had
heard of language impairment affecting children, what they thought its manifestations and causes
were and where they had heard of it. Respondents were also asked whether they had heard of
autism, dyslexia, ADD/ADHD and speech disorder. The questionnaire was administered to
members of the public in 18 European countries. A total of 1519 responses were obtained,
spanning 6 age groups, 4 educational level groups and 3 income level groups.Results: Across all but one country, significantly fewer people had heard of language impairment
than any of the other disorders (or 60 % compared to over 90 % for autism). Awareness tended to
be lowest in Eastern Europe and greatest in North-Western Europe, and was influenced by education
level, age and income level. People in countries with overall low and overall high
awareness differed in their views on manifestations and causes. People had heard of language
impairment and autism the same way - most frequently through the media, including Internet,
and less frequently through their child’s school or a medical professional.Discussion: The study confirms that awareness of language impairment and knowledge of the
breadth of its manifestations are low. It also suggests opportunities for how to increase awareness,
including greater media coverage of language impairment and more efficient use of venues such
as schools and healthcare. Ways in which cultural and linguistic differences may influence public
awareness efforts are discussed, including the translatability of clinical labels and scientific terms.
These may impact the acceptance of a common term and definition across all countries. As
awareness campaigns are gaining momentum, the findings of this study can serve as a baseline
against which to compare future findings.peer-reviewe