Aphasia awareness and knowledge in Croatia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Awareness and knowledge about aphasia are very important as they lead to positive changes that have a particular impact on the quality of life of people with aphasia (PWA) and their families. So far, studies in numerous countries have shown that public awareness and knowledge about aphasia are low and differ in certain groups, e.g., by age, gender, occupation and level of education. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate awareness and knowledge of aphasia among the public in Croatia. Methods & Procedures The modified Croatian version of the aphasia public awareness questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire was completed by 300 adults. Participants were grouped according to gender, age, education level, and region of residence. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used for data analyses. Results According to the results, 41% of the participants had heard of aphasia, and 22.7% had basic knowledge about aphasia. Significant differences were found in relation to gender and level of education: awareness was higher among women and participants with a high level of education. No significant differences were found in relation to age or region of residence. The internet and social media were most frequently indicated by participants as sources of information about aphasia. Conclusion It is evident that awareness and knowledge about aphasia in Croatia are limited. There is a need to raise awareness and educate the public about aphasia to effect positive changes, including the reintegration of PWA into the community and the provision of new services where PWA and their family members can refer to experts for counselling and therapy. To this end, international interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers is desirable.