Population-Level Analysis of Recovery from Dysphagia: Influence of Rehabilitation
- Author:
Ickpyo HONG
1
;
Heather Shaw BONILHA
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From: Journal of the Korean Dysphagia Society 2025;15(1):9-17
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objective:This study aimed to examine the association between receiving rehabilitation services and dysphagia recovery in the adult population of the United States (U.S.). We hypothesized that individuals receiving rehabilitation services would be more likely to report improved swallowing status.
Methods:A retrospective cross-sectional design was used. The study included 868 adults with a history of swallowing problems who completed the 2012 National Health Interview Survey. A multinomial logistic regression model was employed to assess the relationship between a history of using rehabilitation services and current swallowing status compared to 12 months ago, controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics.
Results:The majority of participants reported their swallowing status as “about the same” (n=468, 53.9%), followed by “better” (n=251, 28.9%) and “worse” (n=147, 17.2%) compared to 12 months ago. Adults who received rehabilitation services were more likely to have a better swallowing status compared to those with “about the same” status (odds ratio [OR] 1.553, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.031-2.339). However, adults with depression and memory loss who received rehabilitation services were less likely to report improved swallowing status (OR 0.604, 95% CI 0.396-0.923; OR 0.488, 95% CI 0.299-0.796, respectively).
Conclusion:The findings demonstrate a strong association between receiving rehabilitation services and improvements in swallowing function among U.S. adults. While this is encouraging, the results also reveal that more work is needed to improve patient outcomes, namely, 1) improving access to rehabilitation care for patients with dysphagia, and 2) implementing targeted initiatives to improve outcomes in specific patient populations.
