Abstract
Purpose The communication service needs of individuals with acquired brain injuries (ABIs) are frequently overlooked, leading to delays, denials, or premature discharge from communication interventions. This is particularly true for those with subtle cognitive-communication deficits, which may not be apparent until sufficiently challenged at work, in school, or in the community. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a referral tool that could promote understanding of the broad range of communication impairments that occur following ABI and lead to improved identification and referral. Method This study evaluated the Cognitive-Communication Checklist for Acquired Brain Injury (CCCABI) through a survey. The CCCABI is a referral tool that summarizes 45 communication difficulties in 10 areas of cognitive-communication functioning. One hundred sixteen speech-language pathologists, 34 multidisciplinary referral sources, and 41 individuals with lived experience of brain injury were surveyed to evaluate the utility of this referral tool. Results The need for such a referral tool was endorsed by 96% of speech-language pathology respondents, 91% of multidisciplinary respondents, and 100% of respondents with lived experience of brain injury. Responses supported the CCCABI as a clear, comprehensive, and accessible tool for education and identification of the communication impairments that can occur after ABI. Conclusion The CCCABI is a means of increasing understanding of communication service needs following ABI in a manner that is accessible to individuals, families, program designers, funding sources, administrators, and multidisciplinary referral sources.
Highlights
The communication service needs of individuals with acquired brain injuries (ABIs) are frequently overlooked, leading to delays, denials, or premature discharge from communication interventions
Utility—education: The Communication Checklist for Acquired Brain Injury (CCCABI) could help to educate others about the areas of cognitive-communication functioning that speech-language pathologist (SLP) address and their functional impact
Speech-language pathology respondents primarily agreed (92.2%) that the CCCABI could help to educate others about the areas of cognitive-communication functioning that SLPs address and their functional impact
Summary
The communication service needs of individuals with acquired brain injuries (ABIs) are frequently overlooked, leading to delays, denials, or premature discharge from communication interventions. The best available evidence suggests that cognitive-communication impairments are the most prevalent communication difficulties after ABI, with a commonly reported incidence of more than 75% after moderate-tosevere injury (MacDonald, 2017) These communication impairments impede successful return to community independence (Togher et al, 2004), work Potential reasons for this lack of access to speech-language pathology services include low initial detection rates of cognitive-communication impairment; lack of understanding or awareness of subtle communication deficits; lack of clear referral pathways to speech-language pathology; lack of staffing, time, and resources; and lack of emphasis placed on cognitive and communication impairments (Blake et al, 2013; Blyth et al, 2012; Ciccia et al, 2016; Edwards et al, 2006; Hinckley, 2014; MacDonald, 2017; MacDonald & Johnson, 2005; Morgan & Skeat, 2011; Sainson et al, 2014; Salter et al, 2012; Turkstra et al, 2015)
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