title: International patterns of the public awareness of aphasia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been suggested that public awareness of aphasia is vital for extending services, research support, social inclusion and targeted raising of awareness. Earlier studies show that knowledge of aphasia varies across a range of variables, but is very low compared with other conditions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report a series of surveys of public awareness of aphasia from six countries, the largest study conducted this far.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surveys were conducted in Argentina (N = 800), Canada (N = 831), Croatia (N = 400), Greece (N = 800), Norway (N = 251) and Slovenia (N = 400) using the same methodology requesting information on age, sex and occupation, asking whether respondents had heard of aphasia and where they had heard of it. Respondents were tested on their levels of knowledge of aphasia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results revealed low levels of awareness of aphasia in countries surveyed with marked variability that appeared to interact with occupation, country, age and sex. We surveyed 3483 respondents (mean age = 43.16; SD = 17.68). Between 60% (Croatia) and 16% (Slovenia) said they had heard of aphasia (37.1% overall), but those with actual knowledge ranged from 13.9% (Norway) to 1.0% (Argentina). The combined mean of those with basic knowledge was 9.2%. Those who had heard of aphasia were younger; and females had higher levels of awareness. We also found associations between socio-economic status and awareness. Those working in health, social and educational spheres had the highest levels. Respondents mainly heard about aphasia through the media and work or personal contact with aphasia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of awareness are low everywhere in absolute terms, and relative to the awareness of other conditions, with significant variability between countries, sex and socio-economic status. We examine how surveys can be utilized to plan ways to increase understanding and discuss the comparison of awareness of aphasia with other conditions.
authors.affiliation: University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Code
authors.affiliation: Technological Educational Institute of Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Ilias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Papathanasiou
authors.affiliation: Fundacióm Argentina de Afasia, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rubio-Bruno
authors.affiliation: Fundacióm Argentina de Afasia, Argentina.
authors.forename: María de la Paz
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: Cabana
authors.affiliation: Fundacióm Argentina de Afasia, Argentina.
authors.forename: Maria Marta
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Villanueva
authors.affiliation: Statped, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Line
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Haaland-Johansen
authors.affiliation: University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Prizl-Jakovac
authors.affiliation: University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leko
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zemva
authors.affiliation: March of Dimes York Durham Aphasia Centre, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: March of Dimes York Durham Aphasia Centre, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rochon
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Amelie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001037:Aphasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: aphasia; public awareness of aphasia; raising awareness of aphasia