National survey of the prevalence of swallowing difficulty and tube feeding use as well as implementation of swallowing evaluation in long-term care settings in Japan

• Published in: Geriatrics & gerontology international Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 577 - 581
• Main Authors: Sugiyama, Michiko, Takada, Kento, Shinde, Manami, Matsumoto, Nana, Tanaka, Kazumi, Kiriya, Yumiko, Nishimoto, Etsuko, Kuzuya, Masafumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2014
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Clinical Protocols; Deglutition - physiology; Deglutition Disorders - diagnosis; Deglutition Disorders - epidemiology; Diagnostic Techniques, Digestive System - utilization; Enteral nutrition; Enteral Nutrition - utilization; Female; Geriatrics; Health Care Surveys; Hospitals; Hospitals, Special; Humans; Japan - epidemiology; Long term health care; Long-Term Care; long-term care facilities; Male; Nursing Homes; Prevalence; Rehabilitation; Rehabilitation Centers; swallowing difficulty; tube feeding; Japan; swallowing difficulty; long-term care facilities; tube feeding
• ISSN: 1444-1586; 1447-0594; 1447-0594
• DOI: 10.1111/ggi.12137

Aim The present study was carried out to clarify tube feeding utilization and the prevalence of swallowing difficulty among residents in geriatric long‐term settings, and to elucidate the implementation of swallowing assessment at four different types of facilities in Japan. Methods We mailed a questionnaire to a total of 4334 facilities. Results We received responses from 1137 (26.2%) facilities, including 440 (29.0%) from 1517 nursing homes, 275 (29.2%) from 941 long‐term care facilities, 205 (18.1%) from 1134 sanatorium medical facilities and 217 (29.2%) from 742 rehabilitation hospitals. The number of tube‐fed residents per 100 beds in each facility was 11.6 at the nursing homes, 7.4 at the long‐term care facilities, 36.3 at the sanatorium medical facilities and 7.9 at the rehabilitation facilities. The number of residents per 100 beds with swallowing difficulty was 23.7 in the nursing homes, 15.6 in the long‐term care facilities, 19.2 in the sanatorium medical facilities and 15.4 in the rehabilitation hospitals. The percentages of facilities that assessed swallowing difficulty were 31.8% of the nursing homes, 63.0% of the long‐term care facilities, 77.9% of the sanatorium medical facilities and 91.7% of the rehabilitation hospitals. Conclusion A large number of residents using a feeding tube and with difficult swallowing were observed in geriatric long‐term settings without adequate evaluation of swallowing function. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2014; 14: 577–581.