Communication impairment and activity limitation in stroke patients with severe aphasia

This study investigated how patients with severe aphasia communicated in daily living, which verbal and non-verbal communication skills were spared and which were impaired, and whether activity limitations in communication are related to verbal impairments.

Twenty-seven patients with severe aphasia and 9 with moderate aphasia originating from a sample of 102 aphasic persons followed up in a French regional survey were assessed with a communication test and a communication activity limitation questionnaire 12-18 months after a first stroke.

Patients with severe aphasia suffered severe activity limitations in communication, with performance 3-fold lower than that of patients with moderate aphasia, and 4-fold lower than scores attained by normals. Both aphasia severity and communication disability at follow-up were related to the initial severity of aphasia. Using a phone, credit card and a chequebook, reading and filling in administrative documents, and communication behaviours involved in social life were the most severely impaired. Non-verbal communication performance was not related to aphasia severity.

We conclude that there is a great need for speech therapy research to develop new compensatory or alternative strategies for patients with severe aphasia.