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Prevalence of dysphagia among community-dwelling elderly individuals as estimated using a questionnaire for dysphagia screening

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Abstract

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of dysphagia among elderly persons living at home in a community using a questionnaire for dysphagia screening. As the reliability of the questionnaire had not yet been confirmed in an epidemiological study, it was also verified. The relationship between dysphagia and the level of daily living competence was also clarified. The subjects consisted of 1313 elderly persons 65 years and older (575 males and 738 females) living at home in a community. The questionnaire included questions concerning the individual's past history of stroke, and questions for dysphagia screening, competence scoring, and perceived ill health. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed after calculating the Cronbach's alpha coefficient to be 0.83. The results of a factor analysis showed that the cumulative contribution rate was 61.8%. The prevalence rate of dysphagia was 13.8%. After matching for age and sex, there were significant differneces in the competence scores, history of stroke, and perceived ill health status observed between the group with dysphagia and the group without dysphagia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

    Ichiro Fujishima MD, PhD

  2. Department of Public Health, Akita University of School of Medicine, Hondo 1-1-1, 010-8543, Akita City, Akita, Japan

    Kei Kawashima MD & Yutaka Motohashi MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Kei Kawashima MD
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  2. Yutaka Motohashi MD, PhD
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  3. Ichiro Fujishima MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Yutaka Motohashi MD, PhD.

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Kawashima, K., Motohashi, Y. & Fujishima, I. Prevalence of dysphagia among community-dwelling elderly individuals as estimated using a questionnaire for dysphagia screening. Dysphagia 19, 266–271 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02638594

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