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Perceptions of Psychological Issues Related to Dysphagia Differ in Acute and Chronic Patients

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Abstract

The objectives of this study were (1) to compare and contrast the psychological issues perceived by patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia and explore if the differences relate to recovery trajectory, and (2) to determine whether patients, caregivers, and clinicians had different perceptions of how psychological issues interacted with the lung and nutrition issues as consequences of dysphagia. Two focus groups (one each of acute and chronic patients) were conducted with a total of 8 participants. Four focus groups (3 with clinicians and 1 with caregivers) were also conducted. Through the constant comparison method of grounded theory, the differences in perceptions between acute and chronic patients with dysphagia as well as clinicians and caregivers were explored using theoretical sampling. Two themes evolved: (1) acute and chronic patients differed on how they perceived and prioritized major psychological dimensions; (2) acute patients, chronic patients, caregivers, and clinicians varied in their perceptions of how psychological issues interacted with lung and nutrition issues. The qualitative methodology was successful in identifying contrasting opinions on psychological issues of dysphagia between acute and chronic patients, which differ from the perspectives of clinicians and caregivers. It is important for treating clinicians to be aware of psychological issues, to address them according to the patients’ clinical recovery, and to consider the interplay between psychological and biomedical consequences.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the patients, clinicians, and caregivers who participated in these focus groups and allowed their opinions to be analyzed. All authors had full access to all of the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. RM was supported by a CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship and DM was supported by a CIHR New Investigator Award. MED-Diet Inc provided a grant to run the patient focus groups but had no influence on the interpretation of data or the final conclusions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, 160 - 500 University Avenue Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1V7, Canada

    Rosemary Martino

  2. Health Care Outcomes and Research, Toronto Western Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada

    Rosemary Martino

  3. Mobility Program Clinical Research Unit, and Keeman Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada

    Dorcas Beaton

  4. Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1V7, Canada

    Nicholas E. Diamant

  5. Applied Interventional Research, Toronto Western Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada

    Nicholas E. Diamant

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  1. Rosemary Martino
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  2. Dorcas Beaton
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  3. Nicholas E. Diamant
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Correspondence to Rosemary Martino.

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Martino, R., Beaton, D. & Diamant, N.E. Perceptions of Psychological Issues Related to Dysphagia Differ in Acute and Chronic Patients. Dysphagia 25, 26–34 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-009-9225-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-009-9225-0

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