Oropharyngeal dysphagia, reported assessment practice patterns of speech-language pathologists

grantor: University of TorontoThis research comprised the first phase of a two-phase project to describe reported dysphagia assessment practices of speech-language pathologists across Canada and the United States. Specific objectives were to: (a) develop a self-administered mail questionnaire; (b) conduct a pilot survey using the questionnaire with Canadian speech-language pathologists to obtain preliminary descriptive practice information and evaluate questionnaire reliability. Questionnaire development included: literature review, expert consensus and pre-testing. Pilot testing of the questionnaire was conducted with a group of Canadian speech-language Pathologists, both experts and non-experts with dysphagia, involvement, registered with their national association. Survey success was achieved with high survey and item response rates. Clinicians were reliable reporters of their practice behaviours. Utilization was unanimously reported to be high for most physiological parameters. General practice was relatively more varied and appeared influenced by at least geography. A pattern of progressively decreasing utilization was noted, potentially related to stages of diagnostic work-up.M.Sc