背景 吞嚥障礙常出現於腦神經功能損傷、退化性疾病以及老年病患者。社區老人的吞嚥問題應用簡易精確的評估方式確認其吞嚥障礙,及早提供吞嚥照護計畫,以提升居家長者的生活品質。目的 透過簡易吞嚥評估方式,以非影像方式評估社區高齡個案吞嚥功能及估計吞嚥障礙盛行率。方法 採調查研究法,主要評估工具為吞嚥檢查及問卷量表、吞嚥測試以及末梢動脈血氧飽和分析器與喉部表面肌電圖等,以瞭解高齡族群吞嚥功能及其吞嚥障礙盛行率。研究對象為台灣北部某行政區年齡大於65歲以上之社區民眾,進行吞嚥評估,共收案216位。結果 以吞嚥問卷檢查表及吞嚥測試(water test)進行吞嚥功能檢測發現,吞嚥障礙比率為9.5%。以年齡區分發現,四組比較年齡越大其吞嚥速度越緩慢。One-way ANOVA分析四組間之吞嚥速度達統計顯著差異(F=6.478, p<.00),以Scheffe事後比較發現,吞嚥時間在年齡60-69歲組與70-79歲、80-89歲組間有統計之顯著差異。吞嚥障礙與研究變項之複迴歸分析發現,年齡標準化相關係數為0.163,達統計之顯著差異(t=2.328; p=.021)。羅吉式迴歸統計分析自變項中年齡的Wals檢定值達統計之顯著差異(p=.007);而吞嚥障礙與SaO2下降>2%同意度分析Kappa=0.307。結論/實務應用 年齡越大吞嚥功能越容易退步,本研究成果能提供台灣社區老人發生吞嚥障礙比率,可作為臨床護理指引並提供評估吞嚥障礙客觀性之參考。
Background: Impaired swallowing is common in elderly patients as well as those with neurological disorders and degenerative diseases. Convenient and accurate assessments should be available to community-dwelling older adults to diagnose and provide early management and care of swallowing difficulties, an important factor of influence on elderly life quality.Purpose: This study used convenient nonimaging methods to assess swallowing functions in community-dwelling older adults and estimated the prevalence of swallowing difficulties.Methods: The study adopted a survey method and recruited 216 community-dwelling older adults over 65 years old in northern Taiwan. Researchers used tools including a swallowing test, questionnaire, water test, peripheral arterial pulse oximeter, and laryngeal S-EMG to assess participant swallowing functions and the prevalence of impaired swallowing.Results: We found a 9.5% prevalence of impaired swallowing based on swallow questionnaire and water test results. Age correlated negatively with swallowing speed. A one-way ANOVA showed a significant difference in swallowing speed among the four age groups (F=6.478, p<.00). A post hoc Scheffe comparison showed significant differences in swallowing time between the 60- to 69- and 70- to 79-year-old groups and 60- to 69- and 80- to 89-year-old groups. Multiple regression of impaired swallowing on various independent variables showed a significant standardized coefficient of 0.163 for age (t=2.328, p=.021). Logistic regression showed a significant Wals test value for age (p=.007). The Kappa value was 0.307 for agreement analysis between impaired swallowing and SaO2 value reduction of more than 2%.Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Swallowing function deteriorates with age. Results of this study provide an assessment of the prevalence of impaired swallowing in community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan. Results can help guide clinical nurses to enhance their objective assessment of impaired swallowing to improve patient quality of life.