Prevalence and Impact of Swallowing Disorders among United States Adults

Abstract

Objectives:

(1) Determine the prevalence of swallowing problems and reported etiologies and (2) understand their impact among United States adults.

Methods:

The 2012 National Health Interview Survey was analyzed, identifying adult cases reporting a swallowing problem in the preceding 12 months. In addition to demographic data, specific data regarding visits to health care professionals for swallowing problems, diagnoses given, and severity of the swallowing problem were analyzed. The relationship between swallowing problems and lost workdays was investigated.

Results:

An estimated 9.44 ± 0.33 million adults (mean age 52.1 years; 60.2 ± 1.6% female) reported a swallowing problem (4.0 ± 0.1%). Overall, 22.7 ± 1.7% saw a health care professional for their swallowing problem and 36.9 ± 0.1.7% were given a diagnosis. Females were more likely than males to report a swallowing problem (4.7 ± 0.2% versus 3.3 ± 0.2%, P < .001). A total of 31.7% and 24.8% reported their swallowing problem to be a moderate or a big/very big problem, respectively. Stroke was the most commonly reported etiology (422 ± 77 thousand cases; 11.2 ± 1.9%), followed by other neurological cause (269 ± 57 thousand; 7.2 ± 1.5%) and head and neck cancer (185 ± 40 thousand; 4.9 ± 1.1%). The mean number of days affected by the swallowing problem in the past year was 139 ± 7 days. Respondents with a swallowing problem reported 11.6 ± 2.0 lost workdays in the past year versus 3.4 ± 0.1 lost workdays for those without (contrast, +8.1 lost workdays, P < .001).

Conclusions:

Swallowing problems affect 1 in 25 adults annually. A relative minority seek health care for their swallowing problem, even though the subjective impact and associated workdays lost with the swallowing problem are significant.