Sullivan Rebecca, Harding Katherine, Skinner Ian W, Hemsley Bronwyn
University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.
Speech Pathology Department, Eastern Health, Box HillVIC, Australia.
Disabil Rehabil. 2024 Dec;46(26):6334-6344. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2024.2324125. Epub 2024 Mar 3.
Difficulty with communicating basic needs and attracting the attention of health professionals may contribute to falls for patients with communication disability after stroke. The aim of this study was to explore the views of hospital-based health professionals on: (a) the effect of communication disability on falls in patients with stroke; (b) falls prevention strategies for patients with communication disability following stroke; and (c) the roles of speech pathologists in the assessment, management, and prevention of falls in this population.
Online focus groups were conducted and analysed using content thematic analysis.
In total, 11 health professionals participated in four focus groups. Clinicians viewed that: (a) the effects of falls in patients with communication disability are far-reaching; (b) communication disability complicates falls risk assessment and falls management; (c) current falls prevention strategies do not meet the needs of patients with communication disability; and (d) strong relationships have a central role in decreasing falls in this population.
Health professionals articulate concerning gaps in falls prevention strategies for patients with communication disability. Further research should investigate strategies enabling falls prevention and management to be more inclusive of patients with communication disability following stroke and consider ways in which speech pathologists could contribute to this field.
沟通基本需求困难以及吸引医护人员的注意可能会导致中风后有沟通障碍的患者跌倒。本研究的目的是探讨医院医护人员对以下方面的看法：(a) 沟通障碍对中风患者跌倒的影响；(b) 中风后有沟通障碍患者的跌倒预防策略；(c) 言语病理学家在评估、管理和预防该人群跌倒方面的作用。
开展在线焦点小组讨论，并采用内容主题分析法进行分析。
共有11名医护人员参加了4个焦点小组。临床医生认为：(a) 有沟通障碍患者跌倒的影响深远；(b) 沟通障碍使跌倒风险评估和跌倒管理变得复杂；(c) 当前的跌倒预防策略不能满足有沟通障碍患者的需求；(d) 紧密的关系对减少该人群跌倒起着核心作用。
医护人员明确指出了有沟通障碍患者跌倒预防策略方面令人担忧的差距。进一步的研究应调查能使跌倒预防和管理更能包容中风后有沟通障碍患者的策略，并考虑言语病理学家在该领域可以做出贡献的方式。
