Trauma-Informed Care for Voice, Airway, and Swallowing Disorders: A Scoping Review

Patients with voice, airway, and swallowing disorders are susceptible to psychological distress, loss of identity, and lack of agency. Trauma-informed care offers a framework for promoting safety, trust, empowerment, and collaboration, yet its relevance to laryngology nursing practice has not been systematically synthesized.

To map and synthesize existing literature relevant to trauma-informed care in laryngology, with a specific focus on nursing practice across voice, airway, and swallowing care pathways.

A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches of PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus identified peer-reviewed English-language publications from January 2021 through December 2025. Reference lists of included studies and key reviews were hand searched to identify highly relevant trauma-informed laryngology publications from 2020. Eligible studies examined laryngology-related populations, reported patient- or caregiver-centered psychosocial or experiential outcomes, and demonstrated conceptual alignment with trauma-informed care principles, even when not explicitly labeled as such. Data were charted descriptively across care contexts, outcome domains, and alignment with the six Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration trauma-informed care principles.

Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria. Studies spanned acute, outpatient, and survivorship settings and addressed tracheostomy, laryngectomy, airway disorders, voice disorders, and dysphagia. Across studies, psychological distress, communication impairment, and perceived loss of control consistently co-occurred as an interrelated vulnerability cluster. All studies demonstrated implicit alignment with one or more trauma-informed care principles, most commonly safety and empowerment, voice, and choice. Peer support and cultural, historical, and gender considerations were less frequently addressed. Caregiver burden and identity disruption were prominent yet under-measured domains, particularly in survivorship contexts.

The literature on trauma-informed care in laryngology spans multiple domains of otolaryngology, including voice, airway, and swallowing care. However, current evidence is insufficient to determine the efficacy of trauma-informed interventions in this context. Future work should evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of trauma-informed approaches across these areas of laryngologic practice.