Evaluation of aspiration risk by relatives of inpatients in the neurology service: A metaphor analysis

• Published in: Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. e13883 - n/a
• Main Authors: Kaş, Canan, Çakır, Filiz Ö., Kocatürk, İdris
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-02-2024; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aspiration; Caregivers; Content analysis; Data collection; Deglutition Disorders; Dysphagia; Education; Family - psychology; Fear; Fear & phobias; Female; Hospitalized; Hospitals; Humans; Inpatient care; Inpatients - psychology; Male; Malnutrition; Metaphor; Middle Aged; Neurology; Nursing care; Nutrition; Original; Patients; Perceptions; Phenomenology; Pneumonia; Qualitative Research; Readmission; Research design; Research methodology; Respiratory Aspiration; risk; Risk Assessment; Speech; Stroke; Stroke - psychology; Swallowing; risk; metaphor; qualitative research; respiratory aspiration; fear
• ISSN: 1369-6513; 1369-7625; 1369-7625
• DOI: 10.1111/hex.13883

Background
The risk of aspiration is high in stroke patients due to dysphagia/loss of swallowing. This problem can cause problems affecting the nutrition of patients. Due to the possible risk of aspiration during feeding, patient relatives are hesitant to feed their patients. Because of this fear, malnutrition and hospital readmissions may increase. It is important to evaluate the fear of aspiration risk of relatives of patients hospitalized in the neurology service. The aim of this study is to determine the views of the relatives of patients treated in the neurology service about the risk of aspiration through metaphors.
Method
This article analyzed metaphors of patients' relatives' about the risk of aspiration. The analysis uses metaphor identification and analysis. The research sample consisted of 31 patients. First of all, in the study, evaluation of the data was conducted by performing content analysis, as a result of which it was divided into metaphors and conceptual categories, and the relevant field was associated with the text (event, thought, feelings, related in speech or writing). In the reporting of research, the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist was used.
Results
It was seen that the patients' relatives produced 31 different metaphors in response to the statement ‘Aspiration risk is like …, because it is …’ The patients' relatives mostly compared the concept of ‘fear of aspiration’ to the concept of ‘fear’ (n: 24).
Conclusions
In this study, relatives mostly described the concept of fear related to the risk of aspiration. According to this result, patients' relatives have a great fear of aspiration increasing the risk of readmission to hospital and of malnutrition. This result shows that informing patients' relatives will increase awareness and will allow them to provide informed care.
Patient and Public Contribution
Collaborated with patients and their relatives regarding the risk of aspiration and contributed to the planning of care for the risk of aspiration.