Affiliations 

  • 1 Faculty of Health Sciences, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2 Faculty of Health Sciences, Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness (H-CARE), Speech Sciences Programme, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Apara Autism Center, Sugar Land, TX, USA
  • 4 Dept of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuantan, Malaysia
  • 5 Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Health and Human Services, Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO, USA
PMID: 34348530 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2021.1958921

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigated the practice patterns used by Malaysian speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with patients with dysarthria, identified challenges perceived by SLPs and explored strategies to address perceived barriers for improving dysarthria management.Method: Two studies were conducted. Study 1 disseminated a 30-item survey questionnaire electronically via google link to SLPs in the Malaysian Speech-Language-Hearing Association through e-mail lists. Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. In Study 2, semi-structured interviews of twelve SLPs who managed patients with dysarthria were conducted. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using the thematic analysis method.Result: Three major themes and ten sub-themes emerged from the interviews, including "assessment and treatment practices", "challenges", and "overcoming challenges". SLPs' practice of assessment and treatment of dysarthria were predominantly impairment-based. Respondents (64%) who never used standardised assessment tools valued textbooks more as sources of evidence and had a lower level of confidence in their knowledge about dysarthria compared to those who used standardised tools.Conclusion: Focus now needs to be on the education needs of our SLPs, on both the university training and continuing education levels, for direction of the development of professional training courses. Ongoing research and public awareness are required to guide clinical management decisions.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.