Communication strategies for adults in palliative care: the speech-language therapists' perspective

Autores da FMUP

• Hernâni Manuel Da Silva Lobo Maia Gonçalves

  Autor

Participantes de fora da FMUP

• Dias, C
• Rodrigues, IT
• Duarte, I

Unidades de investigação

• Laboratório Associado RISE- Rede de Investigação em Saúde

  

  Investigador

  Fernando Carlos De Landér Schmitt

• Medicina da Comunidade, Informação e Decisão em Saúde

• RISE-Health

  

  Investigador

  Fernando Carlos De Landér Schmitt

Abstract

BackgroundCommunication disorders are a challenge that many patients in palliative care (PC) may encounter. This intervention area is emerging for the speech-language therapist (SLT), the professional who works in preventing, assessing, diagnosing, and treating human communication disorders. This study aims to identify and classify the communication strategies considered most important by SLTs for use in PC and evaluate whether there are any differences in perception regarding the importance of strategies between SLTs with and without PC experience.MethodsThis cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted using a survey, which employed a well-structured, self-completion questionnaire previously validated by a panel of experts with over six years of PC experience.ResultsThe strategies rated as most important within each group were the following: (i) adjust the patients position and minimise environmental noise; (ii) establish eye contact and adjust the pace of speech; (iii) adjust the language level and raise one topic at a time; (iv) use images of the patients interests and their personal objects; (v) use orality and multimodal form; (vi) use simplified language and structured pauses; and (vii) use tables with images and books with pictures.ConclusionsVerbal and non-verbal strategies were rated as highly important. There was no evidence of differences in perception in terms of importance between the SLTs with or without experience in PC, but more studies are needed to support this aspect. The patients communication ability is one of the cornerstones of PC quality. Through their actions, speech-language professionals could empower the patient with strategies so that they can autonomously and self-determinedly express their experiences and most significant needs.

Keywords

• Communication; Palliative care; Speech therapy; Adult