Speech-Language Pathologists with a PHD in Brazil: profile of professional training and scientific production in the voice area

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate, among the Brazilian Speech-Language Pathologists with a doctoral degree, who analyzed voice-related aspects in their theses, the variables gender, year of defense of the thesis, type and location of the educational institution, inclusion of the program through which the thesis was developed, thesis’ theme and the authors' scientific production in the last 10 years. Methods: data collected through a survey on the Lattes Platform from 1986 to 2017. Inclusion criteria were having a degree in Speech-Language Pathology, being Brazilian and having a doctoral degree. The variables defined were recorded in the STATA/IC 14.2, a descriptive analysis of the data was performed, and the growth trend of the number of theses was determined. Results: Most of the 104 professionals who composed the sample were females, with a doctoral degree from a federal public institution located in the Southeast region, and who defended a thesis related to Clinical Voice in specific programs in the area (Human Communication Disorders; Speech-Language Pathology; Speech-Language Pathology, Physical therapy and Occupational Therapy). Article production included 1,458 articles published in the analyzed period, with 6,867 citations in various databases. Conclusion: There has been a steady growth in the number of theses defended in the voice area in the last 30 years, but still concentrated on clinical voice sub-areas, in federal public institutions, predominantly in the Brazilian Southeast region, and in specific programs for Speech-Language Pathology.