Community-based rehabilitation workers in Vietnam need assistance to support communication and swallowing : Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 8, 10, 17 [Commentary]

Purpose: Communication and swallowing disabilities (CSwD) impact health and well-being (Sustainable Development Goal SDG 3), educational attainment (SDG 4) and employment (SDG 8) and contribute to poverty (SDG 1). In Vietnam, community-based rehabilitation (CBR) workers are often the first point of contact for people with CSwD. This commentary reports research exploring the knowledge, experiences and training needs of CBR workers and their preparedness to provide services to people with CSwD and their families living in a province of Vietnam.

Method: Two hundred and five CBR workers completed a written survey and eight participated in a semi-structured interview. Quantitative survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data.

Result: Most participants were female, aged over 30 and worked in a variety of health settings. Multiple challenges to the delivery of services to people with CSwD were described, including lack of training and limited understanding of CSwD by CBR workers, communities and their leaders.

Conclusion: Limited knowledge and preparedness of CBR workers is threatening the achievement of the SDGs for people with CSwD in Vietnam. There is a need for comprehensive education, training and the raising of awareness of the cause and impact of CSwD, and for this to be in partnership with people who experience CSwD and their families, local speech-language pathologists, and international collaborators. Future research exploring the needs of people with CSwD in Vietnam is critical to guiding the development of contextually relevant services and support. This commentary focuses on good health and well-being (SDG 3), quality education (SDG 4), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), reduced inequalities (SDG 10) and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17), and indirectly addresses no poverty (SDG 1).