Session Information
Date: Monday, June 20, 2016
Session Title: Parkinson's disease: Non-motor symptoms
Session Time: 12:30pm-2:00pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: We assessed the accuracy of dysphagia management-related knowledge of SLPs in Israel before and after a 60-hour course on dysphagia.
Background: Dysphagia management among Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients requires specific and comprehensive knowledge on the part of speech and language pathologists (SLPs). Unfortunately, awareness of the nature and management of dysphagia among PD patients is lacking among SLPs and other health professionals.
Methods: Structured questionnaires were used to assess change in knowledge between the first and last days of a 10-day course in dysphagia that focused on the anatomy, physiology and biomechanics of swallowing, swallowing impairments, bedside and instrumental evaluations, and management approaches. The questionnaire included multiple-choice items on diagnosis and intervention based on bedside evaluations, videoflouroscopy swallowing studies (VFSSs) and fiberoptic endoscopic examinations of swallowing (FEESs). Four visual analog scales (VASs) were used to evaluate professional confidence in fulfilling tasks related to therapy, supervising students, lecturing and presenting a case study.
Results: Twenty-five out of 35 SLPs (age 33.4± 9.3 years, clinical experience 8.2±9 years, 10 males) who attended the course filled-in the questionnaires before and after taking the course. The McNamer analysis revealed a significant increase in correct answers in knowledge related to VFSS interpretation in 3/4 questions (p = 0.016, p <0.001, p = 0.002). Knowledge related to BSE interpretation and FEES analysis was low and remained unchanged (BSE p = 0.15; FEES p = 0.11). The VASs were tested using paired t-tests and showed significant increases in confidence following the course (therapy p < 0.001, supervising students p = 0.004, lecturing p < 0.001, case study presentation p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Short-term dysphagia courses can improve basic skills, however, more intensive training with hands-on experience under supervision is required to provide SLPs with sufficient tools for confident and knowledgeable case management and decision-making in PD patients with dysphagia.
ESSD Barcelona 2015.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Y. Manor, H. Shabtai, O. Sella. The effects of dysphagia course for speech & language pathologist in Israel on clinical-related knowledge and confidence [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-effects-of-dysphagia-course-for-speech-language-pathologist-in-israel-on-clinical-related-knowledge-and-confidence/. Accessed June 14, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-effects-of-dysphagia-course-for-speech-language-pathologist-in-israel-on-clinical-related-knowledge-and-confidence/