In majority-world countries such as South Africa, there have been insightful contributions to the field of aphasiology, addressing the need to investigate the cultural context of aphasia and stroke. It is hoped that this investigation will eventually shed light on how people with aphasia and their communication partners perceive the condition and the strategies they employ when seeking help1. These studies addressed the need to engage people with aphasia in their cultural context, taking into account the diversity of the language and culture. This will facilitate the development of culturally relevant and appropriate tools for assessment and intervention2.
Further research revealed that participants narrate their shared experiences with aphasia from a sociocultural perspective. They linked their beliefs about the cause of aphasia to spirituality specifically ancestral retribution and witchcraft agencies3. This highlights the significance of cultural beliefs and perceptions. Beliefs, educational background, and socioeconomic factors can all influence how people perceive the difficulties they face2. Thus, depending on their beliefs and perceptions, people looked for ways to cope with their misfortune, such as traditional rehabilitation, biomedicine, and making offerings to ancestors, among other things 3 .
References
- Legg C, Penn C, Legg C, Penn C. A stroke of misfortune : Cultural interpretations of aphasia in South Africa A stroke of misfortune : Cultural interpretations of aphasia in South Africa. 2017;7038(April). doi:10.1080/02687038.2012.684338
- Penn C, Armstrong E. Intercultural aphasia : new models of understanding for Indigenous populations Intercultural aphasia : new models of understanding for. Aphasiology. 2017;31(5):563-594. doi:10.1080/02687038.2016.1213788
- Legg C, Penn C. The relevance of context in understanding the lived experience of aphasia: Lessons from South Africa. 2014. ASHA. Accessed December 19, 2018.
