Improvement Quality of Life in Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate by Home Visit Program

Abstract

Background and Objective: Cleft lip and cleft palate patients require long-term treatment, rehabilitation, and follow-up. Some patients lack follow-up treatment. Therefore, a multidisciplinary home visit will be performed to assess the problems and outcomes of the treatment to improve the quality of life of the patients.

Method: A descriptive study was used following the eight-time home visit to a total of 20 patients. The participants underwent different sets of questions; 37 items for Community-Based Rehabilitation, 82 items for life skill testing, and other 9 parts for Social Diagnosis and Management Assessment. Data collection was conducted via an interview that lasted for 45 minutes and review patients’ record form. The data collection took 1 month on February, 2020. Content analysis and percentile were used for data interpretation. 

Results: Twenty patients (13 males, 7 females) age between 12-18 years old enrolled in this interview. Nine patients scored highest for physical health. All cases received standard education. Nineteen patients expressed interests in participating the aptitude skills and occupational counseling. Only 9 patients interested in the skills of emotional and stress management. Thirteen patients scored normal in analytic thinking. Ten patients scored normal in relationship building and communication. Twelve patients scored normal in decision making and problem solving. Self-awareness has the lowest score in all cases. Social management aspect reveals patients were poor and did not have the supporting resources.

Conclusion: Most participants were in good health and quite poor. The patients need the trainings on job and self—actualization.