Article

Each year an estimated 30,000-45,000 UK individuals experience
stroke-related dysarthria (impairment of movements required to produce speech).
Many will experience persistent dysarthria long after discharge from stroke
services. Although we have some insight into the impact of other communication
impairments, we have very limited information on the impact of dysarthria on
social participation. PURPOSE: To explore the impact of dysarthria on social
participation following stroke. METHODS: We report data from in-depth
semi-structured interviews with 24 individuals with stroke-related dysarthria.
RESULTS: Our findings suggest a complex association between the severity of an
individual's dysarthria and the impact on their social participation.
Participants' descriptions highlighted their experiences of social participation
and isolation. We further suggest that, in some cases, the coping strategies
adopted by the participants could be seen to further exacerbate this isolation.
These results have important implications for the prioritisation, planning and
delivery of therapeutic interventions for people with dysarthria. CONCLUSIONS:
The impact of stroke-related dysarthria transcends the physiological impairment
to impact upon individuals' social participation, which is key to the process of
rehabilitation. The development and evaluation of the effectiveness of an
intervention that addresses these impacts is the next challenge for therapists
and researchers working in this area.

Langue : ANGLAIS