Our analyses identified deficits in the construct validity of the EAT-10 suggestive of a need to improve the EAT-10 to support its frequent use in clinical practice and research. Implications for Rehabilitation Swallowing disorders are associated with severe complications, such as pneumonia and malnutrition, and impose both social and psychological burdens on patients. The Eating Assessment Tool is a self-report instrument developed to estimate initial dysphagia severity and monitor change in patient-reported dysphagia symptoms as a response to treatment. This study shows that the Eating Assessment Tool has deficits in its construct validity and a need to improve the instrument to support its frequent use in clinical practice and research.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify which swallowing task(s) yielded the worst performance during a standardized modified barium swallow study (MBSS) in order to optimize the detection of swallowing impairment. Method This secondary data analysis of adult MBSSs estimated the probability of each swallowing task yielding the derived Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP™©; Martin-Harris et al., 2008) Overall Impression (OI; worst) scores using generalized estimating equations. The range of probabilities across swallowing tasks was calculated to discern which swallowing task(s) yielded the worst performance. Results Large-volume, thin-liquid swallowing tasks had the highest probabilities of yielding the OI scores for oral containment and airway protection. The cookie swallowing task was most likely to yield OI scores for oral clearance. Several swallowing tasks had nearly equal probabilities (≤ .20) of yielding the OI score. Conclusions The MBSS must represent impairment while requiring boluses that challenge the swallowing system. No single swallowing task had a sufficiently high probability to yield the identification of the worst score for each physiological component. Omission of swallowing tasks will likely fail to capture the most severe impairment for physiological components critical for safe and efficient swallowing. Results provide further support for standardized, well-tested protocols during MBSS.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the online resources that are frequently used by certified speech-language pathologists (SLPs) for dysphagia management and to evaluate these online resources against a standardized critical review metric. Method Certified SLPs were surveyed and asked to describe their familiarity and confidence in critically reviewing online resources and to provide three online resources that they use to inform them about their management of patients with swallowing disorders. Three raters independently judged each online resource that was provided by survey respondents using the DISCERN Instrument. Relationships between respondent demographics and characteristics of online resources were explored. Results Our results revealed that no patterns in DISCERN Instrument ratings for online resources were provided by the 48 respondents. There was no difference in who was more or less likely to choose credible online resources for dysphagia management when considering respondents' characteristics and familiarity and confidence in reviewing online resources. Most of the online resources provided by the respondents lacked a high level of reliability for most of the DISCERN Instrument review criteria. Conclusion Professional training in the critical review of online resources used for managing dysphagia is needed across all levels of training.

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