Types of Telepractice Available for the Assessment and Management of Adults with Aphasia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Purpose: The current physical distancing restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the clinical vulnerability of people with aphasia limit their ability to access the rehabilitation care they require. This systemic review aimed to a) identify the types of telepractice available for the assessment and management of adults with aphasia and b) investigate their feasibility and efficacy. Methods: The systematic literature search, which took place on three databases—Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus—identified 35 studies that met the eligibility criteria. All included studies were assessed for quality and evaluated in terms of: a) the characteristics of the participants with aphasia; b) the aims and approach; c) the study design; d) the location and setting; e) the service provided; f) the technology used; g) the type of telepractice; and h) the textual findings about the telepractice. Results: The findings indicated that there are three main types of telepractice: synchronous (15), asynchronous (10), and hybrid (10). Also, the review identified that all three types can be sub-categorized as either augmented with specialized aphasia software (26) or non-augmented (9). In addition, the findings from the included studies confirmed the evidence in the literature that telepractice is feasible and effective regardless of its type. Conclusion: This review identified three types of telepractice aiming to assist speech and language therapists reach patients with aphasia during the pandemic. In addition, it focused on the concept of specialized aphasia platforms in remote practice. Further investigations with larger sample sizes and stronger study designs are needed to investigate the efficacy of each type of telepractice compared to traditional face-to-face practice.