Swallowing Function in Older Adults: An Association with the Process of Frailty, Functioning, and Clinical and...

Dysphagia and frailty are highly prevalent in older adults and are associated with adverse outcomes. However, the distinction between presbyphagia and pathological dysphagia remains unclear, making assessment difficult. This study aims to verify the association between older adults' swallowing function and the frailty process, global and oral intake functioning, comorbidities, and sociodemographic aspects.

This is an observational, analytical, cross-sectional study with a non-probabilistic sample of 100 older adults in the process of frailty, treated at a referral center for older adults in the national health system. Data were collected using the following instruments: Clinical-Functional Vulnerability Index-20 (IVCF-20), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Charlson Comorbidity Index, Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), Orofacial Myofunctional Evaluation Protocol with Scores for Older People (OMES-O), and Oropharyngeal Dysphagia Screening in Older Adults (RaDI). The study classified swallowing function based on the OMES-O and RaDI and performed descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses.

Only the score in the "mobility" section of the IVCF-20 remained associated with the outcome in the final model. For dysphagia, each one-point increase in the mobility score was associated with a 40.5% increase in the odds of dysphagia.

Poorer performance in the mobility domain of the IVCF-20 was independently associated with higher odds of dysphagia. Speech-language-hearing pathologists working with this population must have a comprehensive understanding of their physical and functional needs.