Quality of life and social relationships in people with aphasia: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Aphasia is a chronic acquired communication disorder that may change the lives of those who live with it. Although its impact on Quality of Life (QOL) is acknowledged, people with aphasia (PWA) remain underrepresented in QOL research. Furthermore, since QOL correlates with contextual factors, additional research on this population is still needed.Aims This study aimed to examine the influence of sociodemographic and clinical variables, as well as humour, activities of daily living and participation on overall QOL (OQOL) and social relationships (SR) in PWA, and to identify predictors for OQOL and SR.Methods & procedures A cross-sectional predictive study was conducted with 35 PWA (mean age 54 years). Participants were assessed using the Lisbon Aphasia Assessment Battery, Barthel Index, Frenchay Activities Index, Communication Disability Profile, Modified Mini Mental State Examination, World Health Quality of Life Bref and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.Outcomes & results PWA reported low OQOL (mean = 46.1), with the SR domain being the most affected (mean = 53.2). Participation was the strongest correlate for both OQOL (ρ=−0.742) and SR (ρ=−0.740). Stepwise regression revealed that participation, emotional status, and aphasia severity explained 62% of the variance in OQOL. Participation alone accounted for 54% of QOL variance and was the sole significant predictor for SR.Conclusions Participation and emotional health are more critical to the OQOL of PWA than clinical or sociodemographic factors. These findings suggest that aphasia rehabilitation must extend beyond linguistic recovery to prioritise social participation and psychological well-being.