PURPOSE: To characterize the population with language disorder diagnosis from a public healthcare unit in Alagoas (Brazil). METHODS: Data from 138 files from patients with language disorder that attended speech and language therapy at the healthcare unit were reviewed from June, 2000 to June, 2006. The analyzed variables were: gender, age at diagnosis, origin, schooling level at admission, speech and language diagnosis, period of time waiting for therapy, period of time in treatment, referrals, multidisciplinary treatment, and existence of opinions from other specialties. Mean, standard deviation and standard error were calculated for numerical variables. Correlation between variables was also calculated (Spearman test, p<005). RESULTS: From the sample, the majority of the population is urban (90.6%). Masculine gender was predominant (65.9%), with mean age of 15.63 yrs and average schooling of 3.39 yrs. The most frequent diagnoses were phonological disorder (24.5%) and stuttering (12.3%). Despite no statistical correlation between referrals and multidisciplinary treatments, there was a significant correlation among specialties referrals and treatments. CONCLUSION: The population with language disorders was highly heterogeneous and the most frequent disorders can be avoided through simple preventive actions in Speech-Language Pathology.
Language; Language disorders; Language disorders; Public health
