Knowledge of Aphasia: Results of a Survey

Knowledge of aphasia was assessed for 113 adults living in a stroke belt state who had indicated they had heard about aphasia with a 13-item aphasia knowledge quiz. Results indicated respondents knew aphasia was a communication problem caused by stroke that affected verbal functions, but less than half the respondents were aware of the multimodal impact of the disorder. Scores on the aphasia knowledge quiz suggested hearing about aphasia does not translate to knowledge about aphasia, its symptoms, or its causes. Results of the study provide helpful guidelines for increasing public awareness of aphasia through education and training.