A Study of Swallowing Rehabilitation Outcome Using the Swallowing Quality Assessment Scale for Occupational Therapist

Abstract

Swallowing difficulty or dysphagia is a critical health problem following stroke. Besides effective swallowing training program, appropriate swallowing assessment tool is also important for swallowing rehabilitation. In our previous study, the swallowing quality assessment scale for occupational therapist (SQAOT) was successfully developed and tested for psychometric properties. The test result indicated good psychometric properties in this novel assessment scale. This study aimed to assess the swallowing rehabilitation outcome by using the SQAOT, and to test the correlation between the SQAOT and the standard, commonly used assessment scale that is the functional oral intake scale (FOIS). Thirty post-stroke dysphagia patients were participated in the study by a process of purposive sampling. All participants were assessed by the SQAOT and the FOIS. The assessment was conducted twice: (1) before the first swallowing training program, and (2) after the last swallowing training program (visit 12). The results demonstrated significantly improvement of swallowing function in all participants (p<0.001). High correlation between both assessment scales was also revealed (r=0.709). The study results indicated that the SQAOT was appropriated and practical to use in the clinical context, either use individually or use in combination with the FOIS.