A Measure of Swallow Effort Using the Borg Category Ratio 10 Perceived Exertion Scale

Area of Science:

• Clinical Swallowing Research
• Human Physiology
• Patient Experience Measurement

Background:

• Patient-centered care necessitates accurate measurement of swallowing experiences.
• Swallowing effort is a key aspect of the swallowing experience.
• Existing tools often fail to capture swallowing effort during the act of swallowing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Borg Category Ratio 10 Perceived Exertion Scale (Borg CR 10) as a tool for measuring swallowing effort.
• To determine if the Borg CR 10 can quantify swallowing effort in real-time.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-random design involved 32 healthy adults (ages 40-80).
• Participants consumed seven bolus consistencies in varying quantities.
• The adapted Borg CR 10 scale was used to rate swallowing effort after each bolus.

Main Results:

• Higher swallowing effort was reported for more adhesive consistencies.
• Increased bolus quantity significantly correlated with greater reported effort.
• Repeated swallows led to significantly higher perceived swallowing effort.

Conclusions:

• The Borg CR 10 scale demonstrates potential as a valid tool for assessing patient-perceived swallowing effort.
• This scale can quantify swallowing effort in real-time, supporting clinical assessment.