More than words

More than words A survey of views and practices regarding quality of life and aphasia in Norway Regine Jensen* ([email protected]) and Line Haaland-Johansen^ ([email protected]) *submitted abstract when a Master’s Student at Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Norway, now a Speech and Language Therapist ^Speech and Language Therapist at Department of Speech and Language Disorders, Statped, Oslo, Norway

Background and aims

Questions

An international survey investigated speech and language therapists’ views and practices in QOL in aphasia in sixteen different countries (Hilari et al., 2015). The present study replicates the survey in a Norwegian context (Jensen, 2016) & compare results.

Q1 Do Norwegian SLTs address issues regarding quality of life in aphasia interventions? Q2 What quality of life assessments and outcome measures do the SLTs use, if any? Q3 What do the clinician SLTs see as important research questions regarding QOL and aphasia?

Method  Questionnaire adapted from Hilari et al. (2015): An International Perspective on QOL in Aphasia. Folia Phoniatr Logop, 67(3)

 Web-based survey among all 1251 SLTs registered as members of the SLT organization in Norway  275 SLTs responded. The analysis is based on responses from the 114 SLTs who identified as aphasia therapists.

Findings Q1 Both samples see communication as most important domain of QOL to be integrated in aphasia therapy (Jensen: 99%, Hilari et al.: 97%). Common demoninator in free descriptions of QOL in Norwegian sample is «living a good life». Respondents believe direct and (to a large degree) indirect (language/communication) interventions impact QOL. Q1

DO SLT S DISCUSS ISSUES REGARDING QOL WITH PERSON WITH APHASIA AND/OR FAMILY MEMBER? 83

Q2

METHODS & MEASURES MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED (INTERNATIONAL & NORWEGIAN SAMPLE) 64

With person with aphasia

78

International sample

With family member

43 41

46

40 40 13

15 15 4 Yes, before therapy

Norwegian sample

Yes, during therapy

Yes, after therapy

11

10

5

No, I do not ask such questions

8

8 3

Other

Conversation, informal methods

Q3 Q3

SAQOL-39

VASES

CETI

CLINICIANS’ PREFERENCES IN FUTURE QOL RESEARCH (INTERNATIONAL & NORWEGIAN SAMPLE) 72

International sample Norwegian sample

58 47 47

43

47

45

42 41

31

Photo: colourbox

Efficacious What factors interventions to influence QOL in improve QOL aphasia?

How is QOL affected in PWA?

How is QOL Valid & reliable affected in FM? measures of QOL in aphasia

Comments and concluding remarks  Both in the international sample (74%) and in the Norwegian sample (71%), QOL is stated as being a main goal  A previous study (Lind & Haaland-Johansen, 2013) found that about 40 different formal and informal measures are used in aphasia therapy in Norway. The present survey finds that formal measures seldom are used in relation to QOL, but 64% report they measure QOL using informal methods. Some supplement these using formal tools.  Norwegian SLTs (in this self-selected sample) see QOL as vital, but report lacking training & adequate tools