Cochrane, Frances, Appleby, Morgan, Cornwell, Petrea, and Siyambalapitiya, Samantha (2026) Exploring speech pathology services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples post stroke: a qualitative case study. Aphasiology. (In Press)

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Abstract

Purpose: To explore how speech pathology services are delivered for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults with acquired communication disorders (ACD) in hospital.

Methods: A qualitative instrumental case study design, informed by culturally responsive principles, was employed. Multiple data collection methods were used including medical record review, participant observation, interview, focus group, and reflective diaries. Data were analysed collectively using qualitative content analysis.

Results: Two Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stroke patients and four speech pathologists (SPs), including an Australian Aboriginal SP, participated. Data analysis revealed five categories: (a) finding out about patients’ cultures and backgrounds, (b) speech pathologists’ perspectives of collaborating with Indigenous Health Liaison Officers, (c) Aboriginal SP helping patients and non-Indigenous SPs, (d) building rapport, and (e) assessment and rehabilitation approaches and experiences.

Conclusions: To facilitate a culturally safe environment, speech pathologists should prioritise development of rapport with patients, collaborate with Indigenous Health Liaison Officers, and ensure ACD assessment and rehabilitation approaches are personally relevant and culturally appropriate. Findings emphasised the need for speech pathologists to build cultural capabilities and for health services to explore opportunities to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals.

Item ID:	92570
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1464-5041
Keywords:	Aboriginal, case study, speech pathology, aphasia, stroke
Copyright Information:	© 2026 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
Date Deposited:	03 Aug 2026 06:53
FoR Codes:	42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4201 Allied health and rehabilitation science > 420110 Speech pathology @ 100%
SEO Codes:	21 INDIGENOUS > 2103 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health > 210302 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status and outcomes @ 50% 20 HEALTH > 2003 Provision of health and support services > 200301 Allied health therapies (excl. mental health services) @ 50%
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