Telehealth and Speech Therapy: usability assessment of an orientation and prevention program of orofacial myofunctional changes, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amanda de Siqueira Cabral, Raíssa Gomes Magalhães, Giovanna Régis Viana and 3 others
PMID 37255205WHAT IT FOUND
A ten-day WhatsApp program improved adults' knowledge about oral habits, breathing, and temporomandibular disorders.
Most participants were satisfied and likely to use the tips in their routines. This supports telehealth for prevention and education, but does not prove it changes clinical outcomes or reduces symptoms.
Key findings
01Participants' knowledge significantly improved on 10 of 19 comparable questions after the orientation program.
0265% of participants reported being very satisfied with the program, and 60% were very likely to use the tips in their daily routine.
03Post-program responses showed a 63% increase in knowledge about nasal cleaning and a 41% increase in identifying dentists as part of the multidisciplinary team for mouth breathing.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study had low adherence rates, with only 55 of 223 contacted individuals completing the program. There was no control over whether participants actually engaged with the study materials during the ten-day period. The study measured knowledge and satisfaction, not clinical outcomes like reduced pain or improved function. It was an observational study without a control group, so changes cannot be definitively attributed solely to the program's design versus time or other factors.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improved knowledge scores as evidence that the program prevents or treats orofacial myofunctional disorders. The study measured what participants knew and liked, not whether their physical symptoms or habits actually changed.