Medical Officers’ Awareness, Involvement and Training in Dysphagia Management

Abstract

Awareness, involvement and training in dysphagia management are essential to ensure that patients are appropriately assessed for dysphagia and provided with intervention. The study aimed to identify levels of awareness, involvement and training of medical officers in dysphagia management. A total of 51 medical officers from the family medicine, medical, otorhinolaryngology, surgery, and neurosurgery departments in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia participated in the study. Levels of awareness, involvement and training of medical officers in dysphagia management were reported using descriptive analysis. Results indicate that medical officers lacked awareness and training in dysphagia management. Referral rates to speech-language pathologists for dysphagia management were low with 58.4% of medical officers having had seldom or never referred patients. The results provide valuable information for addressing dysphagia management in the hospital.

The Role of Speech-language Pathologists in the Hospitals of Pakistan

“…In the present study, a very low perception of the role of SLP was noted with poor perception, communication, and referral to SLPs as well as unfamiliarity with Mean SD their role. Similarly, in a Malaysian study by Xinyi et al, the lack of awareness as well as training was revealed, with 58% of them rarely or never referring cases with dysphagia to SLP [14]. Moreover, Kamal et al reported that compared to professionals belonging to Queensland, the healthcare professionals of Malaysia lacked awareness respecting dysphagia as well as the role of SLPs in its management.…”

Level of Awareness, Knowledge, and Involvement of Malaysian Medical and Dental Practitioners in Dysphagia Management of Head and Neck Cancer Patients

“…A local study by Mustaffa Kamal, Ward, and Cornwell [21] found that only 50% of medical practitioners refer patients to SLPs for dysphagia management. Also, Xinyi, Ahmad, and Vesualingam [22] revealed that 58.4% of medical practitioners from family medicine, medical, ENT, surgery, and neurosurgery seldom or never made a referral to SLPs for dysphagia management. These findings corroborate the fact that the level of awareness and knowledge of dysphagia management and SLP's role in cancer management among medical practitioners was still low.…”

“…Lawson et al [18] revealed that only 23.5% of SLPs in Australia provide therapy before and during cancer treatment, while Krisciunas et al [19] reported a much lower percentage (18.3%) for SLPs in the USA. Furthermore, local studies showed that medical practitioners had a low level of awareness, knowledge, and involvement in dysphagia management [20][21][22]. Low level of awareness of the role of SLP lead to decreased referral for dysphagia cases [20][21][22].…”

“…Furthermore, local studies showed that medical practitioners had a low level of awareness, knowledge, and involvement in dysphagia management [20][21][22]. Low level of awareness of the role of SLP lead to decreased referral for dysphagia cases [20][21][22]. Despite the recommendation by international guidelines, the implementation of these recommendations in Malaysia is scarce.…”