•  
  •  
 

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Abstract

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a potentially life-threatening condition, particularly affecting individuals with neurological diseases, head and neck cancers, and age-related issues. Its prevalence in the general population ranges from 2.3% to 16%, with much higher rates among patients with stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and traumatic brain injury. Dysphagia is prevalent in geriatric and long-term care settings, where over 50% of elderly residents may experience swallowing difficulties. Given its high prevalence and serious consequences, early detection through dysphagia screening in at-risk populations is essential. Since the 1990s, numerous screening tools for dysphagia have been developed, with over 160 non-instrumental tools identified in review articles, underscoring the challenge of selecting the right tool for specific clinical scenarios. Choosing a screening tool requires consideration of its psychometric properties—validity, reliability, sensitivity, and specificity—along with contextual factors such as dysphagia prevalence, patient flow, and the availability of healthcare personnel in a given clinical setting. This narrative review outlines principles for selecting appropriate screening tools and presents tools recommended by review articles from the past 15 years. These tools are recommended based on (1) strong methodological quality, (2) robust psychometric properties, and (3) feasibility for specific patient groups or clinical settings. Among the recommended tools, 20 are described concisely. No single dysphagia screening tool fits all clinical scenarios, as demonstrated by existing studies and reviews. This review also introduces the Kepner–Tregoe Decision Matrix as one example of a decision-making tool to assist in selecting a dysphagia screening tool suitable for a specific setting.

Download

Included in

Physiotherapy Commons

Share

COinS