Purpose: To establish the effect of healthcare provider patient verbal language use on diabetes mellitus management practices in selected hospital in Kenya.
Methodology: This was a causal comparative research study design with application of quantitative and qualitative methodology. The study was carried out at the outpatient diabetic clinics of Kenyatta National Hospital and MP Shah Hospital. 400 patient participants were involved in the study and comprised of 313 patients at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and 87 patients at MP Shah respectively studied between the months of February 2019 and November 2019. A researcher administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The results were summarized using percentages and means or medians for categorical and continuous data respectively. Comparisons were done using chi square test of association of categorical variables and independent t-test for comparison of means. Linear regression and ANOVA were used to test for associations and hypothesis between healthcare provider patient verbal language use (VLU) and diabetes mellitus management practices (DMMPs).
Results: Patients at MP Shah Hospital rated the verbal language use significantly higher than the patients at KNH (p< 0.001). However, linear regression analysis showed that verbal language use was not statistically significant overall in Kenya [β=0.04, (95% CI -0.09, 0.17), p=0.552], at KNH [β=0.05, (95% CI -0.10, 0.19), p=0.513] and MP Shah Hospital [β=0.09, (95% CI -0.21, 0.39), p=0.552]; (P > 0.05), hence the failure to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, there was no significant effect of verbal language use by the healthcare provider and the patient on diabetes mellitus management practices in selected hospitals Kenya.
Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Verbal language use though important in healthcare provider patient interactions was not responsible for improvement in the diabetes mellitus management practices among the patients. Therefore, verbal language use by the healthcare providers in their communication interaction with patients need to be reinforced in healthcare practice to ensure improved DMMPs. Strategies should be developed to enhance verbal language use through educational curriculum development and implementation at the medical training institutions.
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