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

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

Authors :
Hasherah Mohd Ibrahim
Husmeela Hussain
Kartini Ahmad
Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh
Zakinah Yahaya
Source :
Dysphagia. 37:856-862
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2021.

Abstract

Head and neck cancer patients are at high risk of developing dysphagia from undergoing cancer treatment. It is essential for medical and dental practitioners to recognize speech–language pathologists’ role and dysphagia symptoms to provide a timely referral to speech–language pathologists. This study aims to determine the level of awareness, knowledge, and involvement of medical and dental practitioners in dysphagia management. A total of 391 medical and dental practitioners from 22 government hospitals across Malaysia participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed the questionnaire specifically on the level of involvement, knowledge, awareness regarding the role of SLP and dysphagia symptoms. The results revealed a statistically significant relationship between the level of awareness of the role of SLP, χ2 (4, 391) = 9.87, p = 0.043 and the level of involvement of medical and dental practitioners, χ2 (8, 391) = 27.68, p = 0.001 and percentage of referring head and neck cancer patients. The odds of referring head and neck cancer patients for pre-treatment assessment increased three times for each one unit of the participation of medical and dental practitioners [OR] 3.65 (1.56, 8.51) p = 0.003 among those who are already highly involved in dysphagia management. These findings compel healthcare practitioners in head and neck cancer to revisit their collaborative practices. Head and neck cancer patients should receive swallowing management from speech–language pathologists to improve their swallowing function and avoid further complications such as dehydration, malnutrition, and death.

Details

ISSN :
14320460 and 0179051X
Volume :
37
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Dysphagia
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....3a73c364bd42b446ec65fce6e1df2dcb
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-021-10343-y