Awareness of Medico-legal Legislations and Ethics among Audiologists and Speech–language Pathologists: A Preliminary Educational Intervention Study

Introduction: Rehabilitation professionals are experts who work for various rehabilitation services, including Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (ASLPs). In professional practice, understanding the interplay between ethics and laws is crucial for ensuring high standards of conduct and accountability. Recently, studies have started focussing on awareness of various ethical and legal practices in several professions. Despite its importance, there is a lack of studies focusing on various legal and ethical aspects of Audiology and Speech–language Pathology. Aims: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of a medicolegal and ethical awareness program on awareness among ASLPs. Settings and Design: A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test research design. Methods: A total of 41 ASLPs participated in the study. The participants completed the questionnaire before and after the “Legal Legislations in Audiology and Speech-language Pathology” program. The program highlighted medico-legal aspects, ethical practices, and case discussions. The participants’ responses were statistically analyzed. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive and Inferential statistics were done using SPSS software version 26. Results: The preawareness scores showed that most scored less, indicating poor awareness among ASLPs. However, the comparison between pre and post-test results showed significant differences in overall scores ( z = 861, P < 0.001). The descriptive analysis showed increased awareness of different Acts’ terminologies and rationales. Conclusions: The present study highlighted the awareness of various essential concepts in Audiology and Speech–language Pathology to improve the clinical and research practices among ASLPs. Future studies should focus on many practising professionals and students to improve the best practices.