{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T17:48:38Z","timestamp":1785433718916,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"AOSIS","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,31]],"date-time":"2026-01-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769817600000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background:\u00a0Dysphagia, a swallowing impairment, has left people in need of assistance and care. Therefore, the lives of caregivers to those individuals with dysphagia change drastically. There is scarce research about the difficulties experienced by caregivers in caring for their loved ones with dysphagia, a phenomenon known as third-party disability (TPD).\nObjectives:\u00a0This study explored Speech Language Therapists\u2019 (SLTs\u2019) experiences with caregivers when managing adult patients living with dysphagia in South Africa.\nMethod:\u00a0This study made use of a qualitative approach through an online survey with an optional follow-up interview using an adapted framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model. Thirteen participants took part in the survey and two completed the follow-up online interview. Data were analysed using a top-down thematic analysis approach.\nResults:\u00a0Third-party caregivers receive counselling at various times with different content because of the lack of a standardised counselling protocol. Furthermore, using the ICF framework, the article identified that environmental, and contextual factors contribute to TPD. However, not all ICF components were applicable, and additional relevant factors were not captured.\nConclusion:\u00a0Understanding SLTs\u2019 experiences in managing TPD in the adult dysphagia population was achieved.\nContribution:\u00a0The study contributes to literature regarding TPD of adult patients living with dysphagia and has captured the role of the SLT in managing TPD in diverse settings across South Africa.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4102\/ajod.v15i0.1841","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,30]],"date-time":"2026-01-30T09:17:56Z","timestamp":1769764676000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Third-party disability: An analysis of speech-language therapists\u2019 experiences in adult dysphagia management in South Africa"],"prefix":"10.4102","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7582-0829","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kim","family":"Coutts","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03rp50x72","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of the Witwatersrand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-3694-7179","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniella","family":"Meyerowitz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03rp50x72","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of the Witwatersrand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2580","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","unstructured":"Amankwaa, L., 2016, \u2018Creating protocols for trustworthiness in qualitative research\u2019, Journal of Cultural Diversity 23(3), 121\u2013127."},{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Braun, V. & Clarke, V., 2021, \u2018To saturate or not to saturate? 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