Practitioners' knowledge, acceptability and use of external memory aids with individuals with cognitive deficits: An exploratory study.

External memory aids (EMA) are within the most effective cognitive rehabilitation techniques, having demonstrated a positive impact in terms of memory functioning in individuals with multiple cognitive deficits. Despite its proven efficacy, there is yet poor dissemination of these techniques in clinical settings. The current study aims to evaluate the level of knowledge, degree of use, and usage expectations of EMAs by health practitioners, responsible to implement these techniques. A quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was developed, and 120 practitioners working with cognitively impaired patients participated in the study. One questionnaire was developed to assess participants' knowledge and use of EMAs. Results indicate that the level of global knowledge regarding EMAs is poor, despite superior to its actual use. The degree of perceived acceptance of these prosthetics by their users is positive and stronger than the likelihood of practitioners to use these tools with their patients. This study suggests that the actual implementation of EMAs as rehabilitation tools is still poor, despite the growing evidence-based research highlighting its effectiveness to compensate for cognitive deficits. Future studies should target the current factors that are influencing the underutilization of EMAs, to improve and optimize its dissemination and to benefit cognitively impaired patients.