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Predictors of Swallowing-Related Quality of Life in United States Veterans with Dysphagia

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Abstract

While both dysphagia and poor health-related quality of life frequently occur in United States (US) Veterans, swallowing-related quality of life in this population has not been systematically examined. This retrospective clinical observation study aimed to determine the independent predictors of swallowing-related quality of life for a sample of US Veterans. We examined the following variables in a multivariate analysis to determine the predictors of Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire scores: demographic information, Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) scores, Penetration-Aspiration Scale scores, anterior lingual pressures, and Functional Oral Intake Scale scores. MBSImP oral phase score was the only variable that reached statistical significance (p ≤ 0.01), demonstrating that a more severe physiologic impairment in the oral phase of swallowing was independently predictive of worse swallowing-related quality of life. These findings highlight the need for clinicians to consider how impairments in swallowing physiology may impact the quality of life more broadly for patients with dysphagia.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the Dr. Nicole Rogus-Pulia upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Funding was provided by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care as well as the National Institutes of Health grant #1K76AG068590 (awarded to NRP). This manuscript was partially prepared at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, WI (GRECC Manuscript 2022-XXX). The views and content expressed in this article are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position, policy, or official views of the Department of Veteran Affairs, the US government, or the NIH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St. Mary’s Hospital, Kitchener, Canada

    Hiba Najeeb MSc.

  2. William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

    Kailey J. Augenstein MSc. & Joanne Yee MS, CCC-SLP

  3. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    Joanne Yee MS, CCC-SLP, Aimee T. Broman MA & Nicole Rogus-Pulia PhD, CCC-SLP

  4. School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, IAHS 403, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada

    Hiba Najeeb MSc. & Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald PhD, SLP(C), CCC-SLP

  5. Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    Joanne Yee MS, CCC-SLP & Nicole Rogus-Pulia PhD, CCC-SLP

  6. Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA

    Joanne Yee MS, CCC-SLP & Nicole Rogus-Pulia PhD, CCC-SLP

  7. Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA

    Nicole Rogus-Pulia PhD, CCC-SLP

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  1. Hiba Najeeb MSc.
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  6. Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald PhD, SLP(C), CCC-SLP
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Correspondence to Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald PhD, SLP(C), CCC-SLP.

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Najeeb, H., Augenstein, K.J., Yee, J. et al. Predictors of Swallowing-Related Quality of Life in United States Veterans with Dysphagia. Dysphagia 39, 150–158 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-023-10602-0

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