Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2025 Aug 6:1-20.
doi: 10.1080/09638288.2025.2540502. Online ahead of print.

Rehabilitation and self-management support for people with aphasia and cognitive communication disability in Malaysia: a scoping review

Shu En Lee  1   2 , Nelson J Hernandez  1   2 , Fatimah H Hassan  3 , John E Pierce  1   2 , Miranda L Rose  1   2 , Annie J Hill  1   2
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Rehabilitation and self-management support for people with aphasia and cognitive communication disability in Malaysia: a scoping review

Shu En Lee et al. Disabil Rehabil. .
Free article

Abstract

Purpose: Rehabilitation and the speech-language therapy profession are advancing in Malaysia, yet access to community-based rehabilitation services and self-management support for aphasia and cognitive communication disability remains unclear. This review aimed to explore the availability and accessibility of community-based rehabilitation services and self-management support for people with aphasia and cognitive communication disability in Malaysia, while also investigating the sociocultural factors influencing access.

Materials and methods: A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley and the Joanna Briggs Institute frameworks. Structured Google searches and targeted website searches followed Godin et al.

Results: Eleven scholarly texts were included. No scholarly texts addressed cognitive communication disability or included perspectives from people with lived experience. Google searches identified 19 organisations offering aphasia or cognitive communication rehabilitation services, and one aphasia support group in Malaysia. Factors influencing access include Malaysia's multilingualism, limited speech-language therapists, lack of specialisation in aphasiology, financial constraints, and positive attitudes towards technology-based interventions.

Conclusions: Rehabilitation services and self-management support for people with aphasia and cognitive communication disability in Malaysia are geographically inequitable. There is an urgent need for further research to support the development of community-based rehabilitation and self-management support for aphasia and cognitive communication disability in Malaysia.

Keywords: Aphasia; Malaysia; brain injury; cognitive communication; rehabilitation; self-management; stroke.

Plain language summary

Speech-language therapy practices for stroke and traumatic brain injury in Malaysia should consider placing greater emphasis on communication disabilities such as aphasia and cognitive communication disability, while also promoting awareness of available rehabilitation and self-management support to improve access to care.Research on cognitive communication disability is critically needed in Malaysia to inform appropriate, evidence-based rehabilitation and support.Technology-based interventions show potential in enhancing aphasia rehabilitation and self-management support in Malaysia, particularly in underserved areas.The development of rehabilitation services and self-management support for people with aphasia and cognitive communication disability in Malaysia could benefit from adopting user-centred approaches that actively engage individuals with lived experience and are responsive to their needs.

PubMed Disclaimer

LinkOut - more resources