Prevalence of swallowing disorder among older adults in nursing homes: A meta-analysis

To determine the prevalence of swallowing disorders in nursing homes and to analyze the prevalence in China and abroad. Providing basis for intervention, treatment, and care for swallowing disorders in elderly residents of nursing homes.

A systematic search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Medline, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Veip (VIP) database, and WanFang Database. The databases were searched from their inception until March 1, 2023, using keywords such as "swallowing disorders," "nursing homes," and "prevalence."

A total of 163 articles were identified from all databases and seventeen articles were included in the meta-analysis, which showed a random-effects pooled prevalence of swallowing disorders in nursing homes of 33.2% (95% confidence interval: 28.4% to 38.0%). There was significant heterogeneity between the studies (I2 = 99.3%). The prevalence varied by country (40.6% in Asia, 15.9% in Europe, and 39.3% in China) and by screening tool used (medical records or clinical assessment: 13.0%; Gugging Swallowing Screen: 56.6%; drinking test scale: 40.8%; self-screening scale: 38.9%). Interestingly, the prevalence was similar between genders (30.4% in men and 30.2% in women).

The high prevalence of swallowing disorders in nursing homes (33.2%) identified in this study underscores the need for greater attention to screening, diagnosis, and intervention strategies.