Presenter(s): Brianna Southworth
Faculty Mentor(s): Samantha Shune
Poster 80
Session: Social Sciences & Humanities
Dysphagia, commonly described as difficulty swallowing, affects a wide-range of culturally and linguistically diverse patients. As the importance of patient-centered care has continued to grow in the medical field, speech-language pathologists continue to search for ways to accommodate the needs, and wants of the countless diverse patients that they treat, particularly when they vary from the mainstream culture. This is especially true in inpatient settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes. This qualitative study was conducted to identify common challenges and potential solutions for accommodating the unique preferences of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) patients with dysphagia. In this study we interviewed six speech language pathologists who had experience working with CLD populations in nursing homes and hospitals. Interviews were transcribed and data was then analyzed using thematic analysis, or “qualitative description” in order to identify the common themes across participants. Analyses revealed many problems created by the limiting environment that these patients are confined to, such as decreased flexibility in food options and eating times. It was clear that speech-language pathologists have to be creative and compassionate to minimize these barriers and that individualized care and trusting relationships are crucial. This research is vital for identifying strategies for speech-language pathologists to be able to better care for the ever growing diverse population in America.