Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Clinical validation of the RaDI oropharyngeal dysphagia screening tool in older adults
Raphael Marinho Carvalho1, Rafael Maciel de Andrade Lima1, Igor Silva de Castro Lima1
1Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande Norte - UFRN - Natal (RN), Brasil.
Purpose:
To identify and verify the accuracy of oropharyngeal dysphagia screening in older patients hospitalized or undergoing outpatient follow-up, and to associate the presence of dysphagia with the main comorbidities in this population.
Methods:
This is a cross-sectional study with older patients hospitalized in wards or seeking outpatient consultations at a public referral hospital in Northeastern Brazil. The study applied the Oropharyngeal Dysphagia Screening in Older Adults (RaDI), as well as fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) in a subgroup of patients.
Results:
The instrument identified a significant number of older patients with signs suggestive of oropharyngeal dysphagia and showed a consistent association with the reference examination used and an association with neurological, pulmonary, and cardiological comorbidities.
Conclusion:
RaDI is a practical and useful tool for dysphagia screening in older people, showing relevant clinical agreement with FEES and potential for application in hospital and outpatient settings.