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Development of a Dutch Version of the Sydney Swallow Questionnaire: Assessing Oropharyngeal Dysphagia Severity in Dutch-Speaking Populations

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Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aims

The oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) poses substantial health risks and affects quality of life. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are gaining prominence for their crucial role in early detection and adapting rehabilitation and management decisions. This highlights the need for culturally pertinent versions in different languages, especially when addressing conditions like OD. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and assess the test-retest reliability of the Sydney Swallow Questionnaire (SSQ), a PROM designed to detect the risk of OD, for Dutch-speaking populations.

Materials and Methods

The SSQ was translated and adapted based on Beaton’s guidelines. Validity and test-retest reliability were assessed in 100 healthy participants, with a subset of 30 participants assessed over a 15-day interval. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) values were calculated to determine test-retest reliability.

Results

The SSQ-Dutch was well received and well understood, with a median total score of 65.5/1700. Notably, 95% of participants scored below the established dysphagia risk cut-off, consistent with previous validations. The 15-day interval ICC for the SSQ-Dutch total scores was 0.82 (CI 95%: 0.66–0.91), indicating good reliability. While most questions had moderate-to-good reliability, five showed slightly lower ICC.

Conclusion

The SSQ-Dutch emerges as a validated and reliable tool for assessing OD risk in Dutch-speaking individuals. Future studies should evaluate its efficacy in symptomatic populations and consider cultural variations in Dutch-speaking regions.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

The authors extend their gratitude to those who contributed to the questionnaire’s translation. Additionally, we are deeply grateful to all the individuals who generously dedicated their time to respond to the questionnaire.

Funding

Nicolas Audag and G. Reychler received a grant from Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Kinésithérapie et Ergothérapie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate, 10, Brussels, 1200, Belgium

    Nicolas Audag & G. Reychler

  2. Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Pôle de Pneumologie, ORL & Dermatologie, Groupe Recherche en Kinésithérapie Respiratoire, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain, Belgium

    Nicolas Audag, G. Liistro & G. Reychler

  3. Haute École Léonard de Vinci, PARNASSE-ISEI, Brussels, Belgium

    Nicolas Audag, L. Vandervelde, E. van den Bogaert & G. Reychler

  4. Service de Pneumologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium

    G. Liistro & G. Reychler

  5. Centre de Référence Neuromusculaire, Department of Neurology, ULB Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B), CUB Hôpital Erasme, Brussels, Belgium

    M. Toussaint

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  1. Nicolas Audag
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Correspondence to Nicolas Audag.

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Audag, N., Liistro, G., Vandervelde, L. et al. Development of a Dutch Version of the Sydney Swallow Questionnaire: Assessing Oropharyngeal Dysphagia Severity in Dutch-Speaking Populations. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-024-04484-3

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