Dysphagia in nursing home residents: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to disseminate the results of research aiming to identify the prevalence of dysphagia and related clinical factors in nursing home residents. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional descriptive study was developed, including 99 residents in five nursing homes. A sociodemographic questionnaire and the Gugging Swallowing Screen for dysphagia screening were used for data collection. Findings The prevalence of dysphagia was 59.59%. A significant correlation was found between dysphagia and worse scores for fall risk, pressure ulcer, level of independence for activities of daily living and cognitive functioning. Research limitations/implications Results should be interpreted carefully due to sample size and specific country context. A larger sample must be achieved in further research. Practical implications Nurses must receive proper training to perform systematic dysphagia screening, and it should be considered, given the high prevalence, the inclusion of professionals specially trained for rehabilitating dysphagic residents in nursing home teams. Social implications The social and economic burden of dysphagia, in addition to all the implications on the person’s quality of life, requires a differentiated focus on this issue by nursing home managers. Originality/value Nursing homes have nurses providing health care; however, trained professionals for dysphagia treatment commonly are not. These results highlight the importance of systematic screening for dysphagia in all residents, thus promoting timely intervention to prevent respiratory and nutritional complications.