Impact of No-Tech AAC devices on Quality of Life in patients with Broca’s Aphasia

Abstract

Abstract:

Background: Aphasia is a communication disorder which affects formulation and comprehension of language that is caused by impairment in the language areas of the brain. The occurrence of aphasia is more in females than males. More commonly it is found in the age group of 55-70 years. Broca’s aphasia was a term defined for the first time by the French neurologist Paul Broca. He reported a patient who could speak fewer words and when trying to speak he uttered sound repeatedly, ‘tan tan tan. For this No-Tech AAC devices played important role.

Objective: To find out the impact of No-Tech AAC devices on QoL in patients with aphasia.

Methodology: The design of this research was cross-sectional study. The target population in this study were patients diagnosed with Broca’s Aphasia, as per findings of Computed Tomography (CT) scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), using No-Tech devices. The participants meeting the inclusion criteria were recruited and the data was collected from different Govt. and Private hospitals. Convenience Sampling (Non-Probability) technique was used.

Results: The results of the study indicated that the tasks performed by the recruited participants showed WHQoL-Brief Scale’s total score of 68.04 ± 15.40 and mean sum of 2.61 ± 0.59. Questions number Q3, Q4, Q16 revealed a very good score ≥ 03 while questions number 01, 10, 12 revealed a score below 02.

Conclusion: It was concluded that the use of No-Tech AAC devices greatly improves the QoL of people diagnosed with aphasia. Appropriate guidance and proper practice of AAC devices to assist the patients to communicate their needs is the need of the day, so that they can move in society instead of feeling isolated, which might affect their quality of life as well.

Keywords: Broca’s Aphasia, Impact of No-Tech AAC Devices, Quality of Life, WHO Quality of Life Scale-Brief.