About this study
Thank you very much for agreeing to complete this online questionnaire on screening people with post-stroke aphasia.
The questionnaire has 3 parts and should take roughly 15 minutes to complete. The following definitions may be helpful.
• Stroke is defined by the World Health Organisation (2014) as being caused by the interruption of the blood supply to the brain, usually because a blood vessel bursts or is blocked by a clot. This cuts off the supply of oxygen and nutrients, causing damage to the brain tissue. The effects of a stroke depend on which part of the brain is injured and how severely it is affected.
• Aphasia is defined by the Stroke Association as a communication disability that can affect the ability to understand, speak, read, write and use numbers. “The term aphasia (less commonly referred to as dysphasia) is used to describe an acquired loss or impairment of the language system following brain damage (Benson 1996). Usually associated specifically with language problems arising after a stroke, it excludes other communication difficulties attributed to sensory loss, confusion, dementia or speech difficulties due to muscular weakness or dysfunction, such as dysarthria” (Brady et al. 2016, p. 9).
• Suicidality refers to a range of behaviour that poses the risk of killing oneself, usually including thoughts of suicide, the presence of a suicidal plan or having intent to end one’s life (Posner et al., 2014).
• Screening is defined by the World Health Organisation (2012) as using a simple test across a particular population (e.g. stroke survivors) to allow early identification of a condition; in this case, we are focusing on screening for depression and suicidality in people with aphasia post-stroke aphasia.
Thank you for taking the time to consider taking part in this study. Before you decide to complete the study, it is important for you to understand why the research is being conducted and what participation will involve. Please take some time to read the following information carefully and raise any questions you may have with our researchers (Siân Carroll: sian.carroll@uea.ac.uk or Dr. Catherine Ford: catherine.ford@uea.ac.uk).
What is this study about?
Stroke survivors with communication difficulties post stroke (aphasia) are at a greater risk of low mood, depression and suicide than those without aphasia. Despite this, there is no current published research exploring screening rates or practice in this client group. We hope to explore with staff what may influence current screening practices in aphasia and what factors are helpful and unhelpful in screening. This study aims to give staff a voice to highlight barriers to this, which can then be used to support staff to continue to improve patient care and effectively support those with aphasia.
Why have I been invited?
You have been invited to take part as a Speech and Language Therapist working in stroke care and with people with post-stroke aphasia. Taking part, however, is entirely voluntary and you can choose to refuse or withdraw now and in the future with no consequences.
What will the study involve for me?
If you do choose to participate, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire with 3 parts. This will involve you answering an online questionnaire, reading a case vignette, and answering some further questions. The study will take roughly 15-20 minutes to complete and we have aimed to make this as concise and short as possible for your convenience.
You can withdraw from the questionnaire at any time, by simply exiting the questionnaire and your data will not be recorded or included in the study.
Are there any risks and/or disadvantages with participating in this study?
We acknowledge that mental health can be an emotive and difficult topic for people. However, within the study you will not be asked or expected to discuss any specific cases or personal experiences of this, and we aim to keep the case vignette as broad as possible to minimise any potential distress to you. However, we do understand that this may bring your own experiences to mind and cause you some discomfort; therefore, we would like to reiterate that you are under no obligation to take part. Information regarding further support services and resources on suicide will be made available at the end of the questionnaire should you feel that you require any additional support or CPD around this.
If you do wish to contact the researchers regarding this, please contact me by email (sian.carroll@uea.ac.uk) to discuss any issues of concern.
Are there any benefits associated with being in the study?
This study hopes to give you a chance to voice your own opinions and experiences in relation to screening practices in stroke services and what may or may not support the increase of these. It gives you the opportunity of being part of research in factors that affect screening practices and hopefully increase the support offered to those with post-stroke aphasia. After completing the study, you will be provided with information and documents that you may wish to read or take back to your teams, that may support or inform your work going forward.
What will happen to information about me that is collected during the study?
Only non-identifiable information will be recorded, so you will be completely anonymous throughout. The information collected will be kept strictly confidential. Data will be stored securely according to the General Data Protection Regulation Act (2018) and the University of East Anglia Research Data Management Policy (2019). Data will be stored on a UEA OneDrive with double password protection and removed when the analyses and publication of the study are completed. Following this, data will be stored on the UEA data repository, complying with the Act and Policy named above.
Will I be told the results of the study?
It is hoped that the study will be published in 2024 and that we will circulate this to professional bodies that took part in the research.
What if I would like further information, or have a complaint or concerns about the study?
Should you need more information about the research study, please do not hesitate to contact me at sian.carroll@uea.ac.uk and raise any questions you may have.
If you are concerned about the way this study is being conducted or you wish to make a complaint to someone independent from the study, please contact the University administration team by email (med.reception@uea.ac.uk) and they will direct your concerns to a senior faculty member.
Who is running the study?
This research is being conducted by Siân Carroll, Postgraduate Researcher in the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Programme (ClinPsyD) at Norwich Medical School, UEA. This is being done under the supervision of Dr Catherine Ford and Professor Niall Broomfield. The research is funded by the University of East Anglia and has been reviewed by the University Research Ethics Committee.
Please contact Siân Carroll (sian.carroll@uea.ac.uk) for further information, and if you are unhappy about any aspect of the study, please contact Dr Catherine Ford (catherine.ford@uea.ac.uk) regarding this.
Contact information
Information about this study:Please contact Siân Carroll (sian.carroll@uea.ac.uk) for further information, and if you are unhappy about any aspect of the study, please contact Dr Catherine Ford (catherine.ford@uea.ac.uk) regarding this.
Contact email: sian.carroll@uea.ac.uk