The Effect of Dysphagia on Quality of Life in Stroke Patients

Abstract

Purpose: Dysphagia is a prevalent condition following a stroke. Dysphagia and its implications negatively affect quality of life (QOL) aspects. The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of dysphagia on QOL aspects, and to explore its association with sociodemographic factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 31 stroke patients with dysphagia. The effect of dysphagia on QOL aspects was measured using the Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI). Demographic variables included gender, age, educational level, annual family income and the time of onset of dysphagia. Results: The majority of the participants (61.3%) were male, and 67.7% were between 60-70 years old. The onset of dysphagia was less than three months for most of the patients (61.3%). The mean±SD of the DHI total score was 53.5±9.6. Furthermore, the study's findings revealed significant mean differences in the physical subscale (p=0.003), emotional subscale (p=0.020), and the DHI total score (p=0.005) between groups with different onsets of dysphagia. This means that the effect of dysphagia on physical and emotional aspects, as well as overall quality of life, diminishes over time following a stroke. Conclusions: This study's results underscore the adverse effect of dysphagia on QOL aspects in stroke patients, with a gradual reduction in this impact over the post-stroke period.