Family members' report on speech-language pathology and community services for persons with aphasia in Hong Kong.

PURPOSE

This study investigates (a) the provision of speech-language pathology (SLP) services and community resources in Hong Kong for persons with aphasia (PWA) and their families and (b) family members' perception of the service quality.

METHODS

A self-administered 42-item questionnaire was distributed in two community support groups. The questions included information on the demography data of the PWAs, details of the SLP services and family members' perception of PWAs' satisfaction with the hospital-based services and resources in community support groups.

RESULTS

Results from 37 completed questionnaires indicated most inpatient and outpatient SLP sessions were delivered weekly and monthly, respectively, in fewer than 30 min. The primary foci of these sessions were assessment and treatment of aphasia. While professional SLP services were unavailable in support groups, the activities attended most frequently by the PWAs and their families were communication groups and social gatherings, respectively. Overall satisfaction was highest with support groups, followed by hospital-based inpatient and outpatient services.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provide commentary on the existing practices of post-stroke aphasia management in Hong Kong, and will provide new insights into the clinical care of the PWAs and their families. Such knowledge can allow better planning of resource and manpower allocation for aphasia rehabilitation.