Résumé
The significant inequalities in speech therapy access across the territory have caused tension for many years. In response, the ARS (Regional Health Agency) decided to set up a zoning system in 2018, reflecting the supply and demand of speech therapy care in each living area. In this study, we aimed to assess the knowledge level of final-year students regarding the zoning system, as well as to determine if speech therapy practices differed in under-served areas compared to better-supplied ones. To achieve this, we created a questionnaire for final-year speech therapy students and recent graduates to evaluate their knowledge and identify any gaps in their understanding of the topic. We also developed a second questionnaire for speech therapists working in private or mixed practices to identify their practices and note any differences based on their working area. The results of our study showed that the majority of the surveyed students and young speech therapists had heard of the zoning system during their studies but did not have enough information to be fully informed for their installation. The second questionnaire allowed us to highlight that most speech therapy practices were similar depending on the area, but inequalities still persisted, particularly regarding waiting times for appointments, the number of patients per speech therapist, and the range of different pathologies treated in the office. A leaflet was created to raise awareness, including a summary of the zoning system and incentive contracts, and a synthesis of the study's findings.