J Korean Geriatr Soc.  2005 Mar;9(1):54-61.

Relations between Language Impairment and Functional Communication in Post-Stroke Aphasia

• Shin HI
• Park JW
• Jeong YS

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The aim of this study is to evaluate the relations between language impairment and functional communication as a disability in stroke aphasic patients.
METHODS
The subjects were 27 stroke patients with aphasia(17 men, 20 wemen). The Korean version of Western Aphasia Battery (K-WAB) was performed in all patients as a impairment level assessment. And also, the communication effectiveness index(CETI) and the amounts of communication(AC) were checked in all patients from their family or caregiver as functional activity limitation/ disability level assessment. The subunit data of the tests were analyzed with pearson's correlation test.
RESULTS
Among the subtest of the K-WAB, yes/no answer and acoustic word perception tasks in the auditory comprehension subtest showed significant correlations with both social CETI and basic/social AC, and command following task in the auditory comprehension subtest and content talking component in the spontaneous speech subtest had a significant correlation with social AC(p<0.01).
CONCLUSION
In the speech therapy for the stroke aphasic patients, the therapist uses various stimulation techniques. For the functional communication of the patients, the auditory comprehension task should be the 1st line method.

MeSH Terms

Acoustics
Aphasia*
Caregivers
Comprehension
Humans
Male
Speech Therapy
Stroke