Correlation between swallowing function and cognitive function in community-dwelling elderly people

Objective : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of dysphagia among community-dwelling older adults and to investigate the correlation between swallowing function and cognitive function. Methods : The study was conducted over eight weeks, from June 1 to July 30, 2024, targeting 108 elderly individuals aged 65 years or older who attended A, B, C, and D Senior Welfare Centers located in W Metropolitan City. Descriptive statistics were derived from the collected data using SPSS 23.0 for Windows. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between swallowing function and cognitive function in this population. Results : Using the EAT-10 assessment, the prevalence and characteristics of dysphagia among community-dwelling elderly people were identified. The number of individuals reporting dysphagia-related difficulties was as follows: K1 (16), K2 (31), K3 (36), K4 (36), K5 (74), K6 (13), K7 (31), K8 (33), K9 (24), and K10 (25). Among the six cognitive function domains, the orientation (OR) domain showed a positive correlation with K5, while the domains of attention, visuospatial function, executive function, memory, and language showed negative correlations with the K-EAT-10 items. Conclusion : The EAT-10 assessment confirmed a significant prevalence of dysphagia among community-dwelling elderly individuals. Many participants experienced issues such as weight loss, avoidance of eating out, and difficulty swallowing due to dysphagia. Analysis revealed that the severity of dysphagia was negatively correlated with various cognitive functions, including attention, visuospatial function, executive function, memory, and language.