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What is FATE-A?
FATE-A is a research project about improving access to healthcare. It is called Face-to-face And Telehealth Equivalence of assessments in Aphasia (FATE-A).
What are the aims:
- Explore barriers and facilitators to telehealth administration of assessments/measures for people with the communication disability aphasia
- Determine the equivalence of face-to-face and telehealth administration of key measures
- Develop a novel telehealth resources and training toolkit for NHS clinicians to implement assessment/outcome measurement.
Background
Stroke survivors with aphasia demonstrate reduced functional independence, and higher risk of depression than those without aphasia. Emotional difficulties, transport barriers and the need for carer assistance pose challenges in accessing face-to-face services. Evidence suggests telehealth in speech and language therapy (SLT) can enhance access to care, cost-effectiveness and satisfaction, but little is known about the local context. Moreover, many assessments/outcome measures for aphasia have been tested for face-to-face administration only – posing challenges to reliable use within the telehealth context. Presently, one of the four core outcome set measures for aphasia (language) has been tested for telehealth administration. The remaining three assessments of quality of life, emotional wellbeing and communication, have not.
Methodology
1) Analysis and triangulation of the team’s existing development work data regarding telehealth barriers and facilitators (PPI, usability testing data, SLT interviews, survey, and focus group data, including consultation within East London) to develop a prototype SLT toolkit for telehealth administration of aphasia assessments.
2) Equivalence testing of telehealth versus face-to-face administration of key measures with 100 people with aphasia (>30 from East London); reliability testing of telehealth administration.
3) PPI and SLT consultation, refinement and wide dissemination of telehealth toolkit.
Outputs/benefits
Assessment outcomes of 100 participants with aphasia using core outcome measures will (with consent) be fed back to referring SLTs to support targeted intervention.
Provision of robust evidence on telehealth administration of core measures of quality of life, wellbeing and communication.
Production of easily-accessible toolkit providing resources and training for the implementation of telehealth rehabilitation for aphasia in the local context.