Prevalence and policy implications of communication disabilities among adults

Author： Hirdes John Ellis-Hale Kimberly Hirdes Bonnie Pearson

ISSN： 0743-4618

Source： Augmentative & Alternative Communication, Vol.9, Iss.4, 1993-01, pp. : 273-280

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Abstract

Data from the Canadian Health and Activity Limitations survey are used to examine the prevalence and policy implications of communication disabilities among adults. The prevalence of difficulty speaking and making oneself understood increases with age among community-based individuals. A different pattern was found among institutionalized persons, but this was likely due to a selection effect, whereby the population of institutionalized younger persons includes only the most severely disabled individuals. The age distribution of persons with communication disabilities is strongly skewed toward older adults in both the community and institutional surveys, and increased age was associated with more activity limitations and greater severity of disability. Despite the bias in the age distribution of persons with communication disabilities, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services have been oriented primarily to younger individuals. Further research and evaluation on the provision of AAC services should be aimed at the identification of cost-effective models of service delivery to better serve the needs of adults.