TITLE:
Mental Health of Persons with Aphasia during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities for Addressing Emotional Distress
AUTHORS:
Anthony Pak-Hin Kong
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19, Aphasia, Mental Health, Emotional Distress, Well-Being
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.9 No.5,
May
25,
2021
ABSTRACT: Aphasia refers to the acquired language deficits, most commonly caused by a stroke, that affect one’s verbal understanding, oral expression, reading, and writing. Approximately 31% of stroke survivors exhibit depression or some depressive symptoms that can impede functional recovery. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, many reports have discussed its psychological and mental impacts on different people world-wide, including both unimpaired individuals and those with chronic illnesses or medical conditions. At present, relatively little has been published on the topic of mental health changes, distress, and/or concerns among persons with aphasia (PWA). Nevertheless, the current evidence reported thus far suggested that PWA had equally suffered from emotional symptoms as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, similar to other disorder populations. With reference to recent reports, the challenges posed to management of aphasia are summarized. Some potential opportunities to address PWA’s needs, with an emphasis on their emotional distress, amid and after the pandemic are proposed and discussed.