Survey study reveals speech-language pathologists prioritize impairment over functional interaction in acute aphasia care, highlighting the need for structured goal-setting models.
Key Points
To examine how speech-language pathologists allocate time, formulate clinical goals, and address functional communication and patient education for acute aphasia.
Administered a mixed-methods online survey featuring multiple-choice and open-ended questions to speech-language pathologists (N=82) working in acute care hospital settings.
Conducted descriptive statistical analyses on quantitative responses and conventional qualitative content analysis on open-ended feedback and submitted goal samples.
Most clinicians spent at least 20 minutes daily per patient with aphasia, but noted this time was frequently split with coexisting disorders, particularly dysphagia.
Of the 12 content categories identified across five themes, 68.2% of submitted goals targeted the direct assessment and treatment of speech and language impairments.
Clinicians rarely incorporated real-life communication access or education about aphasia into formal goals, despite acknowledging both as essential care components.