title: Perceptions of Healthcare Professionals on the Usage of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy in a Teaching Hospital from a Middle-Income South East Asian Country.
abstract: To explore the perceptions of healthcare professionals' (HCPs) in a South East Asian nation towards percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding.
  
  
  
  Semi-structured, qualitative interviews.
  
  
  
  A teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  
  
  
  A total of 17 healthcare professionals aged 23-43 years, 82% women.
  
  
  
  Thematic analysis revealed five themes that represent HCPs' perceptions in relation to the usage of PEG feeding: 1) knowledge of HCPs, 2) communication, 3) understanding among patients, and 4) financial and affordability.
  
  
  
  The rationale for reluctance towards PEG feeding observed in this regions was explained by lack of education, knowledge, communication, team work, and financial support. Future studies should assess the effects of educational programmes among HCPs and changes in policies to promote affordability on the utilization of PEG feeding in this region.
authors.affiliation: Maw Pin Tan, MBBS, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Telephone: +6016-3328600 / +603-79493200, Email : mptan@ummc.edu.my.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jaafar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahadeva
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000473:pathology; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Gastrostomy; enteral feeding; healthcare barriers; nasogastric feeding; percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy