O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar se diferentes estratégias de reabilitação oral protética acarretam modificações nos achados clínicos e videoendoscópicos da deglutição em idosos. Métodos: participaram da pesquisa 42 idosos saudáveis com desempenho cognitivo adequado (26 mulheres e 16 homens, 60-82 anos), desdentados totais ou parciais, separados em três grupos segundo avaliação odontológica prévia: próteses parciais fixas ou removíveis (PP) (n = 15); próteses totais removíveis superior e inferior (PTR) (n = 15); e próteses totais removíveis superior e próteses totais fixas implanto-suportadas inferior (PTFIS) (n = 12). O grupo controle foi constituído de 15 idosos dentados totais (DT) (6 homens e 9 mulheres, 60-80 anos) que atenderam aos critérios de inclusão na amostra. Avaliaram-se as consistências sólida (pão), pastosa (10 ml) e líquida (10 ml). Para a avaliação clínica propôs-se uma classificação da gravidade da disfunção da deglutição orofaríngea, distribuída em cinco níveis. Na avaliação instrumental, da qual participaram 37 idosos, realizou-se teste de sensibilidade laringofaríngea, e classificou-se a gravidade do distúrbio de deglutição, de acordo com a escala de comprometimento funcional (gravidade) da deglutição após a VED, ordenada em graus de 0 à III. Para a análise comparativa entre os grupos em ambas as avaliações, e para comparação entre os níveis de comprometimento da deglutição, utilizou-se o Teste de Kruskal-Wallis, adotando-se o nível de significância inferior a 5%. Resultados: Os achados clínicos e videoendoscópicos da deglutição demonstraram não haver diferenças estatisticamente significantes (p>0,05) entre os grupos estudados, nas três consistências ofertadas. Especificamente na avaliação clínica, para a consistência pastosa o grupo DT apresentou maior prevalência de deglutição funcional, enquanto a disfagia orofaríngea moderada foi o padrão de maior ocorrência no grupo PTR (p<0,01). Para o sólido, os grupos de reabilitação oral demonstraram predomínio das disfagias (p<0,01) em relação à deglutição normal e funcional, sendo predominante a disfagia orofaríngea moderada para o grupo PTR (p<0,01). A VED demonstrou, para todos os grupos, que na deglutição de líquido houve distribuição semelhante entre os níveis, enquanto nas consistências sólida e pastosa encontrou-se predomínio de disfagia (p<0,01), havendo maior ocorrência da disfagia orofaríngea moderada (p<0,01) para o grupo PTR na consistência pastosa. O teste de sensibilidade laringofaríngea demonstrou que 19 (51,35%) indivíduos apresentaram alteração da sensibilidade, sendo 6 (40%) do grupo PP, 7 (63,63%) do grupo PTR e 6 (54,54%) do grupo PTFIS. Conclusão: Idosos saudáveis podem apresentar diferentes níveis de deglutição, havendo maior ocorrência de disfagia orofaríngea para as consistências pastosa e sólida, sendo que diferentes estratégias de reabilitação oral não resultam em modificações no padrão de deglutição desses sujeitos. / This study investigated if different strategies of prosthetic oral rehabilitation cause changes in the clinical and videoendoscopic findings of swallowing in elderly individuals. Methods: The study was conducted on 42 healthy elderly subjects with adequate cognitive performance (26 women and 16 men, 60-82 years), completely or partially edentulous, divided in three groups according to the previous dental evaluation: wearing fixed or removable partial dentures (RPD) (n = 15); wearing maxillary and mandibular removable complete dentures (RCD) (n =15); and wearing maxillary removable complete dentures and mandibular implant-supported fixed complete dentures (ISFCD) (n = 12). The control group was composed of 15 completely dentate elderly individuals (DT) (6 men and 9 women, 60-80 years) who met the inclusion criteria. Solid (bread), paste (10 ml) and liquid (10 ml) food textures were analyzed. Clinical evaluation was performed by classification of the severity of dysfunction of oropharyngeal swallowing, divided in five scores. The instrumental evaluation was applied to 37 elderly individuals, comprising the laryngopharyngeal sensitivity test for classification of the severity of the swallowing disorder according to the scale of functional impairment (severity) of swallowing after the VED, divided in scores 0 to III. Comparison between groups in both evaluations and between the scores of impairment of swallowing was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, at a significance level below 5%. Results: The clinical and videoendoscopic findings of swallowing revealed no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) between the study groups, for the three textures. Specifically with regard to the clinical evaluation for the paste texture, the DT group exhibited higher prevalence of functional swallowing, while the RCD group presented higher occurrence of moderate oropharyngeal dysphagia (p<0.01). With regard to the solid texture, the groups of oral rehabilitation presented predominance of dysphagia (p<0.01) in relation to normal and functional swallowing, with predominance of moderate oropharyngeal dysphagia for the RCD group (p<0.01). The VED demonstrated, for all groups, that the swallowing of liquid had a similar distribution between scores, while for the solid and paste textures there was predominance of dysphagia (p<0.01), with higher occurrence of moderate oropharyngeal dysphagia (p<0.01) for the RCD group for the paste texture. The laryngopharyngeal sensitivity test demonstrated that 19 (51.35%) individuals presented alterations in sensitivity, being 6 (40%) in the RPD group, 7 (63.63%) in the RCD group and 6 (54.54%) in the ISFCD group. Conclusion: Healthy elderly individuals may present different scores of swallowing, with higher occurrence of oropharyngeal dysphagia for the paste and solid textures; different strategies of oral rehabilitation did not cause changes in the pattern of swallowing of these individuals.

INTRODUÇÃO: na reabilitação da disfagia faríngea, a manobra de Mendelsohn (MM) é a única descrita como efetiva para o trabalho de elevação da laringe e seqüente abertura do segmento faringo-esofágico, desde que executada corretamente. OBJETIVO: avaliar a eficácia do uso do biofeedback eletromiográfico no processo de treinamento para correta execução da manobra de Mendelsohn em portadores de Doença de Machado-Joseph (DMJ), com disfagia alta. CASUÍSTICA: participaram deste estudo 20 indivíduos sem queixas quanto à deglutição e 20 disfágicos, portadores de DMJ, que se equiparavam em termos de distribuição de sexos e média de idade, tinham cognitivo preservado, e foram separados em grupos: A e C, de disfágicos, e B e D, de controles. MÉTODOS: todos foram submetidos a anamnese dirigida, avaliação clínica da deglutição e a eletromiografia para verificação do tempo de sustentação da elevação da laringe, repetida depois de treinamento para correta execução da manobra de Mendelsohn, feito com (grupos A e B) ou sem (grupos C e D) a utilização do biofeedback eletromiográfico.Dificuldades relacionadas à realização da MM foram observadas diretamente e relatadas em resposta a questionário. RESULTADOS: a comparação dos disfágicos com os controles não evidenciou diferenças marcantes quanto à avaliação clínica da fase oral da deglutição, pois os doentes demonstravam apenas déficits quanto a protrusão, retração e tônus da língua. Entretanto, quanto à fase faríngea, mostraramse diferenças mais significativas, com os disfágicos apresentando, à deglutição de líquidos e sólidos, estase faríngea, acompanhada de tosse e/ou engasgo e penetração e/ou aspiração, alterações ausentes nos controles. Houve significante aumento do tempo de sustentação da elevação da laringe, de controles e pacientes, à deglutição de saliva, durante a realização da manobra de Mendelsohn, após o treinamento, principalmente se conduzido com suporte de biofeedback eletromiográfico. O mesmo ocorreu com a deglutição de iogurte, pastoso, consistência preferida pelos pacientes. Os pacientes do grupo A chegaram a atingir o mesmo desempenho que seus controles (grupo B), à realização da MM. À observação direta de dificuldades encontradas durante a realização da manobra, notou-se dificuldade para sustentar a elevação da laringe. Quando os indivíduos foram inquiridos a respeito, destacou-se dificuldade de entendimento da MM. De significante, extraiu-se, à observação direta e ao inquérito, que os pacientes têm mais expressivas dificuldades de controle respiratório durante a realização da MM do que os controles. CONCLUSÕES: 1. o treinamento orientado, verbal e gestual, para a correta execução da MM, é capaz, por si só, de aumentar o tempo de sustentação da elevação da laringe em portadores de DMJ e controles; 2. o biofeedback eletromiográfico agrega valor ao treinamento, promovendo ainda maior tempo de sustentação da elevação da laringe, à execução da MM, em portadores de DMJ, que atingem índices semelhantes aos dos controles, na deglutição de saliva e de pastoso; 3. os portadores de DMJ apresentam freqüentemente dificuldade de controle respiratório, sem repercussão clínica, durante a aplicação da MM. / Introduction: In the rehabilitation of pharyngeal dysphagia, the Mendelsohn maneuver (MM) is the only technique described as effective for elevating the larynx with subsequent opening of the esophageal-pharyngeal segment, provided it is correctly performed. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of electromyographic biofeedback for training of the Mendelsohn maneuver in Machado-Joseph patients (MJD) with high dysphagia. Case Studies: Forty individuals participated in this study, including twenty with no complaints of deglutition and twenty MJD dysphagic patients , who were all similar in terms of gender distribution, average age, and cognitive function. Method: The medical history of each patient was reviewed. Each subject underwent a clinical evaluation of deglutition, as well as electromyography to determine the amount of time for which larynx elevation was sustained. Electromyography was repeated following achievement of the correct performance of MM. Training for MM was completed with (groups A and B) or without (groups C and D) electromyographic biofeedback. Difficulties related to performance of MM were observed directly and reported through the completion of a questionnaire. Results: Comparison between dysphagic patients and controls did not reveal significant differences with respect to the clinical evaluation of the oral phase of deglutition, since afflicted patients only demonstrated deficits related to the protrusion, retraction and tonus of the tongue. However, significant differences were observed with respect to the pharyngeal phase. Dysphagic patients presented with pharyngeal stasis during deglutition of liquids and solids, accompanied by coughing and/or choking as well as penetration and/or aspiration; these symptoms were absent in the controls. After training, there was a significant increase during MM in the time of larynx elevation as well as in the deglutition of saliva in both controls and patients. The time of larynx elevation was further increased when training was conducted with electromyographic biofeedback support. Similar results were found for the deglutition of yogurt, which has a pasty consistency preferred by the patients. Group A patients performed MM at the same level of competency as controls (group B). During direct observation, difficulties in sustaining the elevation of the larynx were noted. Questioning of the individuals experiencing difficulty revealed a lack of understanding with respect to MM. Specifically, it was determined that patients had more pronounced difficulty in respiratory control during MM as compared to normal controls. Conclusions: 1. Guided training, both verbal and gestural, for correct performance of the MM can increase the time of sustained larynx elevation in MJD patients and controls; 2. The use of electromyographic biofeedback during training further increases the time of sustained larynx elevation in MJD patients, allowing them to reach indexes similar to those of controls with respect to deglutition of saliva and semi-fluids; 3. Carriers of MJD frequently have difficulty in respiratory control, but without clinical repercussions, during the application of MM.

Swallowing and cough are two vital functions that are reflexive in nature and are related to each other in terms of shared neural and anatomical space. When a disorder impacts normal and effective swallowing and/or cough, the consequences can be life-threatening. Evaluation and treatment of swallowing and cough disorders can fall under the scope of practice of the speech-language pathologist and speech-language pathologists often are leading professionals. Furthermore, much of the current research on swallowing and cough is spearheaded by speech-language pathologists often working with a multi-disciplinary team. The focus of this dissertation is on the clinical evaluation of cough and swallowing, practice patterns of voluntary cough assessment during the evaluation of swallowing, and novel methods of evaluating acoustic voluntary cough waveforms in patients with and without swallowing impairment. The results will provide important information regarding the state of cough assessment tools for clinical swallowing evaluation, clinical practice patterns of voluntary cough assessment, and differences in acoustic cough signals between safe and unsafe swallowers in individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The current conception of speech therapy in dysphagia requires the use of a clinical assesment protocol that can provide sensitive and specific answers as to the degree of swallowing disorders. Objective: The objective of this research was to establish the correlation between the Dysphagia Risk Evaluation Protocol (DREP) and videofluoroscopy in patients with swallowing disorders as well as checking the level of oral intake after their assessment. Method: This research is exploratory, quantitative, longitudinal and retrospective in database. The sample consisted of 91 patients, 55 men and 36 women, aged between 18 and 89 years old. It was performed the clinical evaluation of dysphagia with the use of the Dysphagia Risk Evaluation Protocol - DREP (PADOVANI et al, 2007), use of the Functional Oral Intake Scale for Dysphagia in Stroke Patients - FOIS (CRARY et al, 2005), videofluoroscopic swallowing exam (VFSE) and use of the penetration/aspiration scale (ROSENBECK et al., 1996). The VFSE images were evaluated individually by three judges with expertise in dysphagia Results: The analysis of concordance of objective evaluation diagnosis between the judges according to the ICC was substantial and second Kappa index was considered moderate. The correlation between clinical (DREP) and objective assessment was moderate, it was found that the VFSE detected specific features of swallowing not identified in the clinical evaluation. The agreement between FOIS / DREP and FOIS / VFSE calculated by Kappa test was moderate, but the overall correlation was strong. Out of the 24 patients who received indication for total alternative feeding, that means, nothing orally, 13 (54%) received indication of at least one feeding consistency after completion of the VFSE. Furthermore, according to the clinical evaluation, 35 patients also needed an alternative feeding means and after the VFSE 25 patients still had indication for alternative feeding means. Conclusion: The DREP proved to be a satisfactory tool for establishing the presence of dysphagia in patients with different pathologies, but does not identify characteristics that are subject to analysis only with videofluoroscopy, confirming the necessary support of an objective method of assesment for a complete evaluation of the cases of dysphagia. There was strong correlation between the FOIS after clinical assessment by the DREP protocol and the videofluoroscopy of swallowing, the latter providing more accurate indication for the use of alternative feeding and liberation of oral feeding. Besides that, it was observed that the FOIS is an effective marker for determining the level of oral intake in dysphagia cases which were originated from neoplasms, diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems. / Introdução: A concepção atual de atuação fonoaudiológica na disfagia exige o uso de protocolo de avaliação clínica que possa fornecer respostas sensíveis e específicas quanto ao grau da alteração da deglutição. Objetivo: O objetivo desta pesquisa foi estabelecer a concordância entre o protocolo clínico de avaliação de disfagia (PARD) e avaliação objetiva através da videofluoroscopia em pacientes com distúrbio da deglutição assim como verificar o nível de ingestão oral após as respectivas avaliações em diferentes patologias. Método: Esta pesquisa tem caráter exploratório, quantitativo, transversal e retrospectivo em banco de dados. A amostra foi constituída por 91 pacientes, 55 homens e 36 mulheres com idades entre 18 e 89 anos. Foi realizada a avaliação clínica da disfagia com o uso do Protocolo de Avaliação do Risco para a Disfagia - PARD (PADOVANI et al, 2007), aplicação da escala Functional Oral Intake Scale for Dysphagia in Stroke Patients FOIS (CRARY et al, 2005), avaliação videofluoroscópica da deglutição e aplicação da escala de penetração/aspiração (ROSENBECK et al., 1996). Para atingir os objetivos desta pesquisa e garantir a confiabilidade do diagnóstico de disfagia todos os exames de VFD foram reanalisados por três juízas a fim de se estabelecer a concordância entre elas. Resultados: A análise da concordância do diagnóstico na avaliação objetiva entre as juízas segundo o ICC foi substancial e segundo índice Kappa foi considerada moderada. A concordância entre avaliação clínica (PARD) e objetiva foi moderada e verificou-se que a VFD detectou características específicas da deglutição não identificadas na avaliação clínica. A concordância entre FOIS/PARD e FOIS/VFD calculada através do teste de Kappa foi moderada, já a correlação geral foi forte. Dos 24 pacientes que receberam indicação de via alternativa total de alimentação, ou seja, nada por via oral, 13 (54%) receberam indicação de pelo menos uma consistência de alimentação após a realização da VFD. Pode-se constatar que segundo a avaliação clínica 35 pacientes necessitavam de via alternativa de alimentação enquanto que após a VFD 25 pacientes ainda tinham indicação de via alternativa de alimentação. Conclusão: O PARD demonstrou ser uma ferramenta capaz de estabelecer a presença de disfagia em pacientes portadores de diferentes patologias, porém não identifica características que são passíveis de análise somente com a videofluoroscopia, ratificando a necessidade de um método de avaliação objetiva para complementar o diagnóstico de disfagia. Houve concordância forte entre a FOIS após avaliação clínica por meio do protocolo PARD e a videofluroscopia da deglutição. A VFD conferiu maior precisão na indicação do uso de vias alternativas de alimentação e liberação da via oral. Além disso, observou-se que a FOIS é um marcador eficaz para determinação do nível de ingestão oral para os casos de disfagia cuja origem foi as neoplasias, as doenças do aparelho circulatório e do aparelho respiratório.

The aim of this study is to describe hospice caregivers’ perceptions and practices in the management of dysphagia in neurodegenerative disorders. In South Africa, hospices provide support and care for people with neurodegenerative disorders and have been offering palliative care to patients and their families facing life-threatening illnesses since 1989. Detailing the management practices of hospice caregivers may assist in determining whether there is a need for the services of a speech-language therapist in the transdisciplinary model. A non-experimental, descriptive survey research design was selected for the purpose of this study as it allowed the researcher to describe the characteristics of a large number of respondents. Information was gathered by means of mail-distributed, self-administered questionnaires. The collected data was descriptively analysed and graphs and figures were used to summarise and display the frequency distribution and associations within the data. It was evident from the findings that dysphagic patients with neurodegenerative disorders form part of the hospice caregivers’ caseloads. However, there appears to be limited specialist involvement in the management of neurodegenerative dysphagia within the hospice setting. Furthermore, caregivers’ perceptions of the subtle symptoms of dysphagia, the positions that facilitate safe swallowing and the consistencies that are most easily swallowed by people with dysphagia were found to be inadequate. The results obtained have numerous significant clinical and theoretical implications regarding current dysphagia management in the South African hospice setting. Recommendations are made to hospices, speech-language therapists and future researchers. / Dissertation (MCommunication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / unrestricted

Background: Preterm infants and neonates may present with dysphagia due to immaturity or the presence of medical conditions. Enteral feeds are used to ensure optimal nutrition is achieved while the neonates are developing appropriate oral feeding skills. Varied interventions may be used to transition neonates to full oral feeds as oral feeding is often a prerequisite for discharge from hospital. Aims: The main aim of this study was to summarize, interpret and analyse the literature on the different interventions used for the transition to full oral feeds in preterm infants and neonates to identify research gaps and to inform clinical practice on the best intervention options. A secondary aim was to validate the findings of the scoping review for the South African context. Methods: A scoping review was conducted. Relevant studies were identified by searching six databases, Google and Google scholar. Inclusion criteria included studies written in English, peer reviewed and published between 1998–2018, that described the interventions used to transition preterm infants and neonates to full oral feeds. Data were extracted from the articles using a data charting form and analysed descriptively and thematically. The findings were shared with health care professionals who work with premature infants and neonates who then participated in a semi-structured interview to provide feedback relevant to the South African context. Results: Forty-seven articles were included. Six broad intervention categories were identified: oral-motor, oral-sensory, other senses, timing, cue-based and utensils. Non-nutritive sucking (NNS) interventions were reported most frequently across single and combined interventions. Outcome measures reported included: time taken to full oral feeds, earlier hospital discharge, long-term feeding outcomes, weight and sucking proficiency. Improved outcomes were associated with NNS and NNS with oral stimulation. Nine health care professionals were interviewed. They confirmed using a number of the interventions, with NNS reported the most. Health care professionals also provided insight into the challenges of implementing some interventions due to limited resources and staffing in the South African context. Conclusions: There are a range of interventions reported in the literature and many of them are used in South Africa. Positive outcomes such as earlier transition to full oral feeds; earlier hospital discharge; improved weight gain and improved sucking proficiency have been reported with NNS and combined NNS and Oral Stimulation interventions, however further studies are needed.

Includes bibliographical references / South Africa has a high incidence of injury-related disorders, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of motor vehicle accidents and assault. Dysphagia is a common sequela of TBI, which may result in malnutrition or aspiration pneumonia. There is limited epidemiological data available for TBI and dysphagia in South Africa which is important for health care planning. There is also inadequate literature reporting predictive factors for dysphagia and health outcomes of patients with TBI and swallowing disorders for the South African context, which would provide management guidelines for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) for patients with TBI and dysphagia. This study aims to begin to provide up-to-date information regarding the incidence of TBI and the prevalence of dysphagia in the population with TBI in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Predictive factors for dysphagia and health outcomes were also investigated in order to provide management guidelines for TBI-related dysphagia for SLPs. A prospective cohort study followed 77 participants aged 18 to 68 years (M = 33.1) with mild to severe traumatic brain injury, admitted to 2 state and 2 private hospitals in the Bloemfontein metropole, South Africa, to investigate the incidence of TBI and the prevalence of TBI-related dysphagia in the adult population in 2013. Participants were tracked from admission to hospital to discharge. Demographic and medical data was collected for each participant, including: gender, age, TBI aetiology, means of nutritional intake, respiratory status, length of hospital stay, and number of speech therapy sessions. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores at time of admission, swallowing evaluation, and discharge were noted as an indicator of TBI severity and each participant was assessed with the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability on admission and prior to discharge to assess the presence of dysphagia. The incidence of TBI for the Bloemfontein metropole was 353 per 100,000 people and was greater in the male than in the female population (11.83:1). The main mechanism for TBI in Bloemfontein was interpersonal violence (67.53%), followed by road traffic accidents (motor and pedestrian vehicle accidents; 23.38%). The prevalence rate for dysphagia was 32%. Twenty-eight percent of those who presented with dysphagia also aspirated. Severe TBI (GCS ≤ 8) was identified as a predictive factor for dysphagia. Participants with dysphagia had longer hospital stays (days; M = 22.04, SD = 17.67) than those with normal swallowing (M = 6.23, SD = 4.28), t(75) = 6.13, p < .001, and took significantly more days to achieve oral intake (M = 6.23, SD = 10.32) than those without dysphagia (M = .31, SD = 1.41), t(75) = 4.08, p < .001. Ventilation was associated with longer hospital stays, rs(25) = -.47, p = .02 and longer duration until achievement of oral intake, rs(22) = -.80, p < .001. Tracheotomised participants also had significantly longer hospital stays, rs(25) = -.67, p < .001, and took longer to achieve oral intake, rs(22) = -.52, p = .01. An increased period of time with a tracheostomy was also significantly associated with mortality, χ2(2, n = 11) = 6.52, p = .04. Participants with dysphagia (M = 3.84, SD = 5.44) required significantly more therapy sessions with an SLP than those without dysphagia (M = .15, SD = .64), t(75) = 4.85, p < .001, and those with low GCS scores were significantly less likely to achieve oral intake prior to discharge, rs(25) = -.45, p = .02, and had longer hospital stays than participants with mild head injuries, rs(25) = -.49, p = .01. All participants who received nutrition via nasogastric tubes returned to oral intake; however, individuals who had percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomies did not achieve oral intake prior to discharge. It is recommended that objective swallowing evaluations be conducted for patients admitted with severe TBIs, and patients with mild and moderate TBIs be screened to determine the presence of dysphagia. TBI prevention initiatives should be developed to reduce the incidence of TBI, specifically in the young adult male population.

Bakgrund: Dysfagi innebär svårigheter att svälja och orsakerna till att drabbas varierar. Vardagen kan förändras drastiskt och måltiderna innefattar ofta stora utmaningar. Även spontaniteten i vardagen kan påverkas och planering inför sociala aktiviteter mer omfattande. Skam kan påverka den sociala samvaron och föranleda självisolering. Med dysfagin kommer ökade risker vid måltider som att sätta i halsen vilket i värsta fall kan leda till döden. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att belysa hur vuxna patienter som lever med dysfagi upplever sin livskvalité. Metod: Studien genomfördes som en allmän litteraturstudie, vilken baserades på tio resultatartiklar som bearbetades. Resultat: Analysen resulterade i två huvudkategorier: Dysfagin upptar hela mitt liv och Interaktion är avgörande för min livskvalité och fyra underkategorier: Dysfagin kräver all min uppmärksamhet, Känslor kring situationer i vardagen med dysfagi, Copingstrategier bidrar till hopp om framtiden samt Mina behov av stöd från vård och omsorg. Konklusion: Upplevelser som påverkade livskvaliteten hos patienterna var bland annat förändrade kostvanor och den självupplevda sociala samvaron. Goda relationer och tydlig kommunikation visade sig också ge goda förutsättningar för att förbättra livskvaliteten. / Background: Dysphagia means swallowing difficulties and the causes of the problem vary. Everyday life can change drastically, and meals often involve major challenges. Even spontaneity in everyday life can be affected and planning for social activities more extensive. Shame can affect social interaction and lead to self-isolation. With dysphagia comes increased risks during meals such as choking, which in the worst case can lead to death. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe how adult patients living with dysphagia experience their quality of life. Method: The study was conducted as a general literature study, which was based on ten result articles that were processed and analyzed. Results: The results generated in two main categories: Dysphagia occupies my whole life and Interaction is crucial for my quality of life and four subcategories: Dysphagia requires all my attention, Feelings about situations in everyday life with dysphagia, Coping strategies contributes hope for the future and My needs for support from care and welfare. Conclusion: Experiences that affected the quality of life included changes in dietary habits and perceived social interaction. Good relationships and clear communication also proved to provide good conditions for improving the quality of life.

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