Akilah Heggs Publishes Book on Communication Disorders as a Public Health Issue

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Akilah Heggs

Akilah Heggs, a lecturer in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, has co-authored a new book that examines communication disorders through the lens of public health.

Communication Disorders as a Public Health Issue: Prevention, Policy, and Population-Level Perspectives reframes how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) understand, address, and advocate for communication health across the lifespan. Moving beyond an individual, clinic-centered model, this forward-thinking volume positions communication delays and disorders as a critical, and long-overlooked, public health priority.

Co-written with Deborah Swain, EdD, CCC-SLP, the clinical director and CEO of The Swain Center for Listening, Communicating and Learning, the book examines how speech, language, hearing, and literacy challenges intersect with education, mental health, health literacy, social determinants of health, and economic outcomes. From early identification and prevention models to the long-term consequences of untreated communication disorders in children and adults, this book equips SLPs with the evidence and frameworks needed to think upstream, act systemically, and lead change beyond traditional service delivery settings.

The book blends research, policy analysis, and real-world implications, empowering SLPs to expand their role as advocates, collaborators, and leaders in population health. It is an essential resource for clinicians, educators, administrators, and policymakers committed to improving communication access, equity, and outcomes at a community and societal level.

Akilah R. Heggs, PhD, CCC-A, is a public health scholar and audiologist who joined the UMass Amherst Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences in 2025. She has more than two decades of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating public health and clinical programs at the federal, state, and community levels. Heggs has also led national health promotion and evaluation initiatives at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration, translating research into policy guidance and sustainable community practice. Her scholarship and leadership reflect a commitment to strengthening workforce capacity, promoting health equity, and building community-based partnerships that improve developmental and behavioral health outcomes across diverse populations.

Communication Disorders as a Public Health Issue: Prevention, Policy, and Population-Level Perspectives is available now from the publisher, Plural Publishing, Inc., or from other major retailers.