Abstract
Purpose :
CVI is the leading cause of bilateral visual impairment in children in the USA. CVI incidence is on the rise in high, middle, and low income nations. As incidence has increased, so has the need for services from OTs and TVIs. Anecdotal evidence suggests that curricula for these professional programs often do not include adequate information about effective evaluation and intervention in children with CVI. The primary purpose of this study was to understand the current level of training for CVI provided in formal secondary education programs. Secondary aims were to determine OT and TVI: CVI caseload proportion, CVI education, confidence/satisfaction for CVI treatment/evaluation.
Methods :
A survey was created and conducted to assess training/educational needs of licensed OTs and certified TVIs. Response dates were from 5/2019-10/2019. Confidence and satisfaction level were reported using a Likert scale. All data were analyzed using measures of central tendency.
Results :
50/86 (58%) OTs and 88/106 (83%) of TVIs had children with CVI on their caseload, representing 16% and 38% of the children for whom they provide direct services respectively. 29% of OTs and 65% of TVIs had CVI core coursework during their formal training programs. Out of a 5 point Likert Scale, OTs had an average CVI knowledge and working confidence of 3.49, correlating confidence between neutral and agree, and a skill satisfaction of 2.63, correlating satisfaction between disagree and neutral. TVIs had an average CVI knowledge and working confidence of 4.31 and 4.04, respectively, correlating confidence between agree and strongly agree, and a skill satisfaction of 3.37, correlating satisfaction between neutral and agree.
Conclusions :
CVI is a highly prevalent and increasing cause of visual impairment that requires intervention from OTs and TVIs for optimal function and learning. These data demonstrate that children with CVI comprise a large proportion of OTs and TVIs caseloads. Only 29% of OTs and 65.09% of TVIs were exposed to CVI in their formal coursework, supporting anecdotal evidence of an educational gap in CVI. This educational gap is further supported by data showing decreased satisfaction in CVI knowledge and skills by both OTs and TVIs. Further research is needed to identify specific knowledge deficits that should be addressed in formal OT and TVI coursework.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.