Observational studyAustralasian journal on ageing2025
Swallow screening of older adults at hospital admission.
Observational study in Australasian journal on ageing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Predictive models for dysphagia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- Swallow screening of older adults at hospital admission.Australasian journal on ageing · 2025Observational
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesThe risk of swallowing difficulties increases in older adults due to a combination of factors such as multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy. Swallowing may be further destabilised by the onset of acute illness. At hospital admission, these factors can be identified and combined with a simple screening tool to select patients for additional assessment and intervention. This prospective observational cross-sectional cohort study aimed to screen hospitalised adults age 75 years or older (older than 65 years for Māori and Pasifika) for swallowing risks, regardless of the reason for admission.
methodsA total of 644 participants were screened with the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) self-report questionnaire from August 2021 to December 2023. Clinical teams were instructed to use the EAT-10 to guide management. Clinical outcomes were monitored for 30 days postdischarge, and the relationship between EAT-10 scores and subsequent clinical management was explored.
resultsAge and ethnicity were not correlated with increased EAT-10 (p > .05), but the number of comorbidities (p < .001) and regular medications on admission were correlated with a higher EAT-10 score (p < .001). Despite the screening process, there were associations between elevated EAT-10 scores and readmission (p < .001), pneumonia (p < .001) and mortality (p < .01).
conclusionsThese results suggest that screening for swallowing difficulties in at-risk older patients is valuable and allows teams to take action to prevent adverse clinical outcomes. Further investigation is required to clarify the timing for screening and to explore optimal clinical pathways for those identified at risk.
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