The Wangi (talking) project: A feasibility study of a rehabilitation model for aboriginal people with acquired communication disorders after stroke

Abstract

Purpose: Aboriginal Australians are under-represented in stroke rehabilitation services and rehabilitation practices that are sensitive to the needs of Aboriginal people are not currently available. This project tested the feasibility and acceptability of a rehabilitation model and approach to therapy with Aboriginal people with acquired communication disorders post-stroke.

Method: Eight Aboriginal people with acquired communication disorders post-stroke were recruited to this study. Sixteen treatment sessions were provided twice weekly at the person’s place of residence by a speech-language pathologist and Aboriginal co-worker. Feasibility was measured by analysing the number of sessions conducted jointly by the speech-language pathologist and Aboriginal co-worker and participant attendance. Participant acceptability was measured through the analysis of a post-therapy questionnaire. The Aboriginal co-worker’s and speech-language pathologists’ perceptions of the acceptability were collected through semi structured interviews.

Result: Across all sessions 84.2% were attended by the Aboriginal co-worker and speech-language pathologist and seven of the eight participants completed all prescribed sessions. Positive feedback was provided by participants, the Aboriginal co-worker and speech-language pathologist on the key components of the programme.

Conclusion: The rehabilitation model used within Wangi appears to be feasible and acceptable to participants and therapists. It provides direction to improve the quality of care for Aboriginal stroke survivors.

Keywords:

• Aboriginal Australians
• acquired communication disorder
• therapy
• stroke

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of the participants involved in this study as well the support provided by Chantelle Timmins, Simone Dempster and Brooke Rendell in implementing this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2019.1595146

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Stroke Foundation Seed Grant.