Assessment of health professional students’ perceptions and knowledge about stroke rehabilitation teams and the role of speech and language therapists in Bangladesh

Abstract

Aims: Effective collaboration and interdisciplinary methods are crucial in the field of stroke treatment. The engagement of speech and language therapists (SLTs) with stroke rehabilitation teams is not familiar in the context of Bangladesh. The aims were to investigate health professional students’ perceptions and experiences of the stroke rehabilitation team and the role of the speech and language therapist (SLT). Methods: We tailored a structured questionnaire to suit the stroke rehabilitation landscape in Bangladesh where a diverse group of 150 students enrolled in various disciplines including physiotherapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), speech and language therapy (SLT), psychology, medicine (MBBS), and nursing participated in the survey. Results: Our study, which covered a broad range of fields, found a positive tendency toward collaborative team models including Multidisciplinary, Transdisciplinary, and Interdisciplinary. The Kruskal–Wallis test’s statistical analysis (p greater than 0.05) revealed a thorough comprehension of the nuances of various team models. Students, however, showed ambiguity in understanding the particular roles and specialties of certain experts. There were several interesting results, such as the preference for the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) model by 93.30% of occupational therapy students against the Transdisciplinary Team (TDT) model by 79.30% of SLT students. Additionally, the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) model received support from 10.7% of participants. Conclusion: Bangladesh reported findings of this study highlight the significance of bridging the gap between academic and clinical training, cleaning up common misconceptions, and encouraging cooperative inter-professional teamwork. This includes promoting a thorough knowledge of the various responsibilities played in the field of stroke rehabilitation, particularly those of speech and language therapists.