Learn about the latest research projects our students are undertaking as part of their PhD studies. Students were invited to do a 10 minute presentation on their research in the Student Showcase competition, we are pleased to share some of these presentations. To see more presentations, check the Student research category on the blog sidebar.
Aphasia CRE Student Showcase 2021 presentation by University of Queensland PhD Candidate Lisa Anemaat, on Co-design of the Queensland aphasia research centre.
Background: Exploring experiences of care is a key component of improving healthcare quality. Understanding the experiences of speech pathologists is crucial for determining where gaps in service delivery exist, and for identifying where supports are needed to ensure effective practice is able to be maintained. To date, unmet needs of aphasia service providers have not been systematically explored.
Aims: To explore speech pathologists’ positive and negative experiences of delivering post-stroke aphasia care. To identify priorities for service development from the perspective of speech pathologists.
Methods: 16 focus groups and 9 semi-structured interviews conducted with 62 speech pathologists across 21 hospital and health service sites spanning remote, regional, and metropolitan Queensland. Acute care, in-patient and community services were represented. Data were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis.
Results: Speech pathologists shared 132 experiences of managing care, including positive and negative experiences. Preliminary themes associated with negative experiences across remote settings included: 1) clinician competence, 2) service capacity limiting care, 3) supporting clients during service transitions, and 4) providing culturally appropriate support. Negative experiences for clinicians working in remote settings most often occurred with managing care through transitions between services or with providing long-term support. Clinicians expressed feeling frustrated when describing negative experiences or were satisfied and happy with positive experiences. 412 potential priorities for aphasia service development were generated.
Discussion: Speech pathologists have identified a broad range of priorities for aphasia service development. Preliminary review indicates that there are clear areas of unmet need for clinicians working in rural settings.