Review Article

Psychometric Properties of Questionnaires on Functional Health Status in Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: A Systematic Literature Review

Table 6

Characteristics of questionnaires for the assessment of FHS in oropharyngeal dysphagia.

QuestionnaireDomains (number of items)ScalesNumber of itemsResponse optionsRange of scores1Cut-off point2

EAT-10Severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia1105-point Likert scale:
0 = no problem,
4 = severe problem
0–400–2 is in normal range;
3–40 is indicative of swallowing problems

SOALSwallowing function117(i) No, a little, a lot
(ii) (If answered “a little” or “a lot”: Does this bother you? Yes/No)
0–340–4 is within normal range;
5–34 is indicative of swallowing problems

Self-report Symptom Inventory Symptomatic severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia119 Prototype Self-report Symptom Inventory(i) 17 items: visual analogue scales anchored by extreme statements
(normal function—extreme dysfunction)
(ii) 1 item: 0 to 5
(iii) 1 item: 0 to 3
0–17080–192 is within normal range;
193–1708 is indicative of swallowing problems
17 Modified Self-report Symptom Inventory(i) 16 items: visual analogue scales anchored by extreme statements
(normal function—extreme dysfunction)
(ii) 1 item: 0 to 5
0–1700

(SSQ)Overall swallowing function (1); direct physiological swallowing function (15); swallowing-related QoL (1)1 170Visual analogue scales anchored by extreme statements
(normal function—extreme dysfunction)
0–1700NR3

Higher scores indicate a more severe swallowing impairment.
2EAT-10 cut-off score: based on normative data using the mean total symptom score plus two SD (i.e., ) as upper limit of normal in healthy subjects ( ); SOAL cut-off score: based on regression analysis of Modified Barium Swallow and SOAL consensus rating determined a score of 5 and greater on the SOAL to be indicative of OD problems; Self-report Symptom Inventory (SSQ) cut-off score: based on normative data using the mean total score plus two SD (i.e., ) as upper limit of normal in healthy subjects ( ).
3NR = not reported.