Developing criteria for a profession to be considered as profession of allied health in Malaysia: a qualitative study from the Malaysian perspective

BMC Health Services Research · 14 authors, 9 centres

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TL;DR

Risk of harm was the most frequently cited criterion, and no single criterion alone was found sufficient to define the profession.

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Using both deductive and inductive thematic content analysis, 16 codes emerged, with six most frequent: risk of harm (frequency 62), set of competency and skills (46), formal qualification (40), defined scope of practice (37), relevant training (36), and healthcare team (18). The authors found these criteria are interrelated and co-exist, with no single criterion sufficient to fully define PAH. Limitations include the small sample size, non-inclusiveness of participants from certain regions such as Sabah and Sarawak, and variability in participant experience, which may limit generalisability.

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other

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public health

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ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10835829

Developing criteria for a profession to be considered as profession of allied health in Malaysia: a qualitative study from the Malaysian perspective

BMC Health Services Research

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ABSTRACT

Abstract Background The Malaysian Allied Health Profession Act (Act 774) regulates the practice of allied health practitioners in Malaysia, with two described professions viz . allied health profession (AHP) and profession of allied health (PAH). While AHPs have been clearly identified by the law, comprehensive implementation of the act requires development of specific criteria in defining any profession as PAH in the Malaysian context. Hence, the research aims to explore and identify the criteria for defining such professions for healthcare policy direction in Malaysia. Methods This research utilised two methods of qualitative research (document review and focus group discussions (FGDs) involving 25 participants from four stakeholders (higher education providers, employers, associations and regulatory bodies). Both deductive and inductive thematic content analysis were used to explore, develop and define emergent codes, examined along with existing knowledge on the subject matter. Results Sixteen codes emerged from the FGDs, with risk of harm, set of competency and skills, formal qualification, defined scope of practice, relevant training and professional working within the healthcare team being the six most frequent codes. The frequencies for these six codes were 62, 46, 40, 37, 36 and 18, correspondingly. The risk of harm towards patients was directly or indirectly involved with patient handling and also relates to the potential harms that may implicate the practitioners themselves in performing their responsibilities as the important criterion highlighted in the present research, followed by set of competency and skills. Conclusions For defining the PAH in Malaysia, the emerged criteria appear interrelated and co-exist in milieu, especially for the risk of harm and set of competency and skills, with no single criterion that can define PAH fully. Hence, the integration of all the empirically identified criteria must be considered to adequately define the PAH. As such, the findings must be duly considered by policymakers in performing suitable consolidation of healthcare governance to formulate the appropriate regulations and policies for promoting the enhanced framework of allied health practitioners in Malaysia. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-024-10569-0. Keywords: Allied health profession act, Criteria for profession of allied Health, Allied health professions, Focus group discussion, Document review analysis, Malaysia

CITATION EXPORT

L Mageswary Lapchmanan, Duratul Ain Hussin, Naji Arafat Mahat et al.. Developing criteria for a profession to be considered as profession of allied health in Malaysia: a qualitative study from the Malaysian perspective. BMC Health Services Research. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10569-0

AUTHORS

14 · 9 CENTRES

L Mageswary Lapchmanan, Duratul Ain Hussin, Naji Arafat Mahat, Aik Hao Ng, Nurul Huda Bani, Salina Hisham, Wai Siew Teh, Mohd Azmarul A Aziz, Saravanakumar Maniam, Pauzilah Dollah, Nur Atiqah Hasbullah, Salini Manimaran, Hazirah Hassan, Farina Zulkernain

1Allied Health Sciences Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia
2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
3Centre for Sustainable Nanomaterials, Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
4Centre of Research for Fiqh Forensics and Judiciary, Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Malaysia
5Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala, Lumpur, Malaysia
6Audiology Unit, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
7Department of Forensic Medicine, Hospital Sultan Idris Shah Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
8Nutrition Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia
9School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia