MST-Department of Early Childhood Studies

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Browsing MST-Department of Early Childhood Studies by Author "Chebet, Dalphine Ndiema"

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    Health Professionals’ Awareness and Involvement in Oropharyngeal Dysphagia Management among Inpatients at Kenyatta University Referral Hospital, Nairobi City County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2024-01) Chebet, Dalphine Ndiema
    To alleviate difficulty in swallowing, awareness and involvement of health professionals (HPs) is the heart of therapy. This study assessed the health professionals‘ awareness and involvement in management of oropharyngeal dysphagia among acute-care inpatients at Kenyatta University Referral Hospital (KUTRRH) in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The objectives were to: establish the status of health professionals‘ awareness of oropharyngeal dysphagia management among inpatients at KUTRRH, assess the involvement level of health professionals in the intervention/ management process of inpatients with oropharyngeal dysphagia at KUTRRH, and determine the implications of health professionals' awareness and involvement in oropharyngeal dysphagia management on inpatient health outcomes at KUTRRH. The Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) model by the World Health Organization guided the study. This study employed crosssectional, descriptive design using mixed quantitative-qualitative techniques. The study targeted 63 HPs attending to inpatients at KUTRRH‘s acute care facility (medical and or surgical wards) that included 25 physiotherapists, 12 medical specialists, 20 nurses, four (4) nutritionists, and two (2) speech therapists. Purposive sampling was used to select 19 HPs attending to patients diagnosed with OPD. A semi-structured interview with HPs, a previously validated OPD management questionnaire, and archival records of dysphagia diagnoses at the acute care facility (ACF) were adapted and used in the study; to obtain both primary and secondary data. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 26.0, and tests of significance were carried out at a 95% confidence level using questionnaires and archival records. Quantitative results were presented through appropriate tables and figures. Qualitative data from the interviews were analyzed thematically and presented through narrations. The findings revealed that, on average, health professionals had moderate awareness levels in all the three constructs: signs and symptoms (M = 73.0%, SD = 17.49, n = 16), risk factors (M = 73.6%, SD = 17.14, n = 16), and complications (M = 73.6%, SD = 21.00, n = 15). However, their levels of- signs/symptoms awareness generally increased with educational attainment and were highest among the ―other‖ specialization category, which included neurologists, oncologists, nutritionists, and speech therapists. The findings further showed that majority of health professionals (> 75%) were involved in some aspect of OPD management, and (62.5%) were satisfied with their current involvement levels. The study concluded that the awareness and involvement of majority of HPs. in OPD management could have positive influence on OPD inpatient care at the acute care facility in three areas: patient outcomes, professionalism, and the entire healthcare system. The study therefore recommends that the government should develop specialized training programs and protocols that guide HPs in the proper management of OPD to improve client health outcomes.