Dysphagia Assessment Practices Amongst Speech Language Pathologist in Punjab, Pakistan

• Published in: Journal Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences 2018-03, Vol.6 (1), p.16-20
• Main Authors: Rabia Azmat Azmat, Muhammad Sikander Ghayas khan, Safaa Pervaiz, Sadia Tahira, Fareeha Bukhari, Muhammad Ahmed
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2226-9215; 2410-888X

Background: Dysphagia is medical term that means abnormal swallowing due to impaired coordination or obstruction that affects the swallowing mechanism. For diagnosing this condition, both instrumental and non-instrumental evaluation is required to be executed by speech and language pathologist and radiologist. Objective: The aim of this study was to find out dysphagia assessment practice pattern among speech & language pathologist in Punjab. Methodology: A cross sectional survey was conducted to find out dysphagia assessment practice pattern among speech & language pathologist in Punjab. Information is collected by means of questionnaire that was designed by expert opinion and literature review. Eight expert speech and language pathologist rated the questionnaire for content validity. The sample size of study was, 81 speech and language pathologists collected through convenient sampling technique. Questionnaire was distributed among 81 speech and language pathologist/therapist working independently in public and private hospitals or in schools of different main cities of Punjab, Pakistan. Results: The majority of clinicians i.e. (66.7%) responded had clinical experience of 1 to 3 years as speech and language pathologist while 39.9% respondents were working in hospitals, 27.2% in rehabilitation centers, 18.5% in private clinics, 22.2% in school settings, 1.2 % in other settings. Only 16.0% respondents indicated that availability of VFS at their working place is existent. Seven of the twelve components of clinical swallowing examination were always or usually used by more than 70% of respondents. Conclusion: Most of Speech and language Pathologists are using clinical swallowing examination and instrumental evaluation and some are using VFS. Keywords: Dysphagia, Swallowing disorder, Instrumental assessment, Deglutition, Deglutition disorders.