| This study examined the impact of the Veterans' benefit system on the growth and development of speech pathology in the United States. A secondary purpose of the study was to document major studies, therapy techniques, and diagnostic tools explored and developed through Veterans' Administration support and in Veterans' Administration hospitals. To date there is no single documented analysis of speech pathology studies, therapies, and diagnostics developed through the Veterans Administration.;The veterans' medical care system provided necessary medical care for United States veterans and only after the establishment of the Veterans Administration in 1930 did the veterans' medical care system become involved in medical research and research pertaining to the field of speech pathology. Studies related to the field of speech pathology and communication disorders conducted through Veterans' Administration research have provided the public and private health sectors with therapy techniques such as Melodic Intonation Therapy and diagnostic measures such as the Minnesota Test of Differential Diagnosis of Aphasia. Since 1970 alone, over 130 speech pathology related studies have been conducted through Veterans' Administration research.;Data for the study were obtained from public government documents of the Veterans' Administration and analysis of medical studies housed at the National Medical Library in Washington, D.C., the Vanderbilt Medical Library, and the medical libraries of the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. |
