Factors associated with dysphagia among community-dwelling Palestinian older adults

Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder associated with negative health consequences. In this study we aim to determine the factors associated with dysphagia among community-dwelling older adults in Palestine.

An observational cross-sectional design was used to conduct the study among community-dwelling Palestinian elderly. The collected data included sociodemographic data and medical history. Nutritional assessment conducted using the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF); dysphagia screened using the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10); functional impairments was evaluated using the Katz Index of Independence in the Activities of Daily Living (ADL); and depression and cognitive function assessment using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), respectively. The Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis. Further analysis was done using a multilinear regression test.

A total of 216 participants were included in the final analysis. The mean age of participants was 68.4 ± 7.1 years. In the univariant analysis, a strong association was found between dysphagia and difficulty chewing, lack of appetite, and malnutrition. In addition, a significant correlation was found between dysphagia and age, ADL, MoCA, GDS, and MNA scores. After controlling for confounding variables, the final multivariant model revealed that MNA, ADL, and difficulty in chewing are the significant predictors for dysphagia (p < 0.05), i.e., MNA (B=-4.41, p < 0.001, CI=-6.21--2.61); ADL (B=-1.50, p < 0.001, CI=-2.23--0.78); and difficulty in chewing (B=-6.91, p < 0.001, CI=-9.10--4.73).

Dysphagia was reported in 44% of participants and was independently associated with malnutrition, functional impairments, and difficulty in chewing, highlighting the need for early screening and targeted interventions to improve nutritional status and functional outcomes in older adults.