TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of Self-Reported Swallowing Difficulties and Swallowing-Related Quality of Life Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in India
AU - Dodderi, Thejaswi
AU - Sreenath, Drishti
AU - Shetty, Mahima Jayaram
AU - Chilwan, Uzair
AU - Rai, Santosh P.V.
AU - Moolambally, Sheetal Raj
AU - Balasubramanium, Radish Kumar
AU - Kothari, Mohit
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2024/12
Y1 - 2024/12
N2 - Self-reported swallowing difficulties are highly prevalent but underreported among older adults. The aging population in India is increasing, yet there is a lack of empirical data on self-reported swallowing difficulties in older adults. In the present study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of self-reported swallowing difficulties and assess the swallowing-related quality of life (QOL) among community-dwelling older adults in India. We recruited 361 older adults (60–91 years) from the community. Participants completed the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) to assess self-reported swallowing difficulties and the Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI) to assess swallowing-related QOL. Participants rated the EAT-10 from 0 for ‘no problem’ to 4 for ‘severe problem’. The DHI rating included 0 for ‘never’, 2 for ‘sometimes’, and 4 for ‘always’. The total scores of EAT-10 and DHI were summarised using descriptive statistics. Statistically significant differences between pass–fail groups of EAT-10 and DHI were evaluated using an independent t-test and multivariate analysis of variance test, respectively. The overall mean score for EAT-10 was 3.34, and 7.56 for DHI, with higher scores observed among females. 36.6% of older adults self-reported experiencing swallowing difficulties, while 47.4% self-reported having poor swallowing-related QOL at p < 0.05. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.86) was found between EAT-10 and total DHI scores at p < 0.001. The present study sheds light on the widespread yet underreported issue of self-reported swallowing difficulties and the impact on swallowing-related QOL among older adults in India. These findings emphasize the urgent need for early swallowing screening programs among older adults.
AB - Self-reported swallowing difficulties are highly prevalent but underreported among older adults. The aging population in India is increasing, yet there is a lack of empirical data on self-reported swallowing difficulties in older adults. In the present study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of self-reported swallowing difficulties and assess the swallowing-related quality of life (QOL) among community-dwelling older adults in India. We recruited 361 older adults (60–91 years) from the community. Participants completed the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) to assess self-reported swallowing difficulties and the Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI) to assess swallowing-related QOL. Participants rated the EAT-10 from 0 for ‘no problem’ to 4 for ‘severe problem’. The DHI rating included 0 for ‘never’, 2 for ‘sometimes’, and 4 for ‘always’. The total scores of EAT-10 and DHI were summarised using descriptive statistics. Statistically significant differences between pass–fail groups of EAT-10 and DHI were evaluated using an independent t-test and multivariate analysis of variance test, respectively. The overall mean score for EAT-10 was 3.34, and 7.56 for DHI, with higher scores observed among females. 36.6% of older adults self-reported experiencing swallowing difficulties, while 47.4% self-reported having poor swallowing-related QOL at p < 0.05. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.86) was found between EAT-10 and total DHI scores at p < 0.001. The present study sheds light on the widespread yet underreported issue of self-reported swallowing difficulties and the impact on swallowing-related QOL among older adults in India. These findings emphasize the urgent need for early swallowing screening programs among older adults.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85190694676&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85190694676&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00455-024-10696-0
DO - 10.1007/s00455-024-10696-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 38637434
AN - SCOPUS:85190694676
SN - 0179-051X
VL - 39
SP - 1144
EP - 1155
JO - Dysphagia
JF - Dysphagia
IS - 6
ER -