Do people with aphasia receive written stroke and aphasia information?

The authors would like to acknowledge and thank the following Queensland hospitals for their support and assistance with participant recruitment: Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital; Ipswich Hospital; Nambour General Hospital; The Prince Charles Hospital; The Princess Alexandra Hospital; The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital; The Redcliffe Hospital.

Abstract

Background: Despite the well‐documented benefits of providing people with written health information, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that people who have aphasia are poorly informed about both their stroke and aphasia. Although extensive research has been conducted into stroke education, limited research has specifically investigated the provision of written health information to people with aphasia.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate if people with aphasia recalled receiving written information about stroke and aphasia. Subsequent aims were to determine if reported receipt of stroke and aphasia information was related to participant characteristics such as aphasia severity, reading ability, and time post‐stroke. This study also aimed to gain insight into where people with aphasia sourced written stroke and aphasia information, and which health professionals provided this information.

Methods & Procedures: This article reports on a 10‐item verbal questionnaire that was conducted as part of larger project with 40 adults with aphasia following stroke. Participants with a range of aphasia severities, reading abilities, and time post‐onsets were recruited from university clinics and seven hospitals in Queensland, Australia. Descriptive statistics have been used to describe participant responses to questionnaire items. The relationship between participant responses and participant characteristics were explored using the Mann Whitney U and Pearson's chi square tests for non‐parametric data. Participant's comments have also been categorised.

Outcomes & Results: Only 14 participants (36%) indicated that they received written information about both stroke and aphasia. Findings indicated that receipt of stroke information did not equate to receipt of aphasia information with fewer participants reporting that they received written aphasia information (49%) compared to written stroke information (67%). There was no significant relationship between reported receipt of information and time post‐stroke, aphasia severity, reading ability, age, years of education, or gender. Participant comments either related to the lack of health information provided by health professionals, or reflected the ineffective provision of written information, with many participants commenting about the inappropriate complexity of written health information received. The rehabilitation group setting was the main location for written stroke and aphasia information provision, with speech pathologists most frequently being identified as the health professional to provide this information.

Conclusions: The majority of participants reported receiving no written information about aphasia. Routine provision of appropriately formatted health information and improved access to the health professionals and services that provide information are two strategies for more successful stroke and aphasia education.

The authors would like to acknowledge and thank the following Queensland hospitals for their support and assistance with participant recruitment: Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital; Ipswich Hospital; Nambour General Hospital; The Prince Charles Hospital; The Princess Alexandra Hospital; The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital; The Redcliffe Hospital.

Keywords:

• Aphasia
• Written health information
• Stroke education
• Aphasia friendly.

Notes

The authors would like to acknowledge and thank the following Queensland hospitals for their support and assistance with participant recruitment: Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital; Ipswich Hospital; Nambour General Hospital; The Prince Charles Hospital; The Princess Alexandra Hospital; The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital; The Redcliffe Hospital.