Quality of communication between persons with aphasia and their primary-care physician from caregiver and patient perspectives

Abstract

Introduction: Communication between healthcare providers and persons with communication disorders has been shown to be problematic and to negatively impact the patient's autonomy and health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify the quality of communication between persons with aphasia (PWA) and their primary-care physician. To gain a broader understanding of this interaction, the communication was examined from the perspective of both the caregiver/spouse and the patient. Methods/Results: Clients from the Aphasia Group at the Wichita State University Speech-Language-Hearing Center were given a modified Communication Assessment Tool (CAT) designed to provide insight into the quality of communication between patients and physicians. Another modified version of the CAT was given to the client's spouse/caregiver to obtain their perspective on the communication. Results are discussed with respect to discrepancies between the perspectives of caregivers/spouses and PWA, as well as specific strengths and weaknesses of the communication interaction.