Prevalence of impaired swallowing in institutionalized older people in taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of impaired swallowing in residents at long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in Taiwan.


METHODS
A chart review, a structured questionnaire completed at interview, a neurological examination, and a timed swallowing test were used to assess impairment and to gather demographic data.


METHODS
Nine skilled nursing facilities and nine intermediate-care facilities in metropolitan Taipei.


METHODS
One thousand two hundred twenty-one conscious and unconscious residents with a mean age of 77.07.


METHODS
Impaired swallowing was defined when a subject met two or more of the following criteria: self-report of swallowing difficulty, a score of 2 or more derived from a swallowing questionnaire combined with a neurological examination investigating symptoms and signs of impairment, and coughing/choking during a timed swallowing test or a measured swallowing rate (volume swallowed per second) below the 10th percentile as derived from a gender-based study of an older community in Taipei.


RESULTS
Of the 1,221 subjects, 356 (29.2%) were fed by tube. The prevalence rates for impaired swallowing as estimated were 97.5% and 31.9% for tube-fed and non-tube-fed subjects respectively, whereas the overall prevalence for tube-fed and non-tube-fed subjects altogether was 51.0%.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings may serve to increase awareness of this problem among healthcare professionals in LTCFs. Further research is contemplated to investigate whether early identification makes a difference in treatment choices and outcomes.
Institute of Clinical Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, 115 Li-Nong Street, Section 2, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. lichan@ym.edu.tw
Li-Chan
LC
Lin
Shiao-Chi
SC
Wu
Hwa Shen
HS
Chen
Tyng-Guy
TG
Wang
Miao-Yen
MY
Chen
D000368:Aged; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003938:Diagnostic Techniques, Digestive System; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology