Association of Sex Mismatch Between Patients and Speech–Language Therapists with Favorable Outcome in Eating and Swallowing Functions in Dementia Care: A Pilot Study
Aya Nakada,1 Masahisa Arahata,2 Takaaki Nishimura,3 Keiko Kaji,4 Hatsue Fujii5 1Department of Community-Based-Rehabilitation, Nanto Municipal Hospital, Nanto, Toyama, Japan; 2Nanto Community Medical Support Unit, Toyama University Hospital, Toyama City, Japan; 3Department of Physical Therapy, Facult...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Dove Medical Press
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/association-of-sex-mismatch-between-patients-and-speechlanguage-therap-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JMDH |
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| Summary: | Aya Nakada,1 Masahisa Arahata,2 Takaaki Nishimura,3 Keiko Kaji,4 Hatsue Fujii5 1Department of Community-Based-Rehabilitation, Nanto Municipal Hospital, Nanto, Toyama, Japan; 2Nanto Community Medical Support Unit, Toyama University Hospital, Toyama City, Japan; 3Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Hokuriku University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan; 4Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Nanto Municipal Hospital, Nanto, Toyama, Japan; 5Department of Rehabilitation, Nanto City Home-Visit Nursing Station, Nanto, Toyama, JapanCorrespondence: Masahisa Arahata, Nanto Community Medical Support Unit, Toyama University Hospital, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama City, 930-0194, Japan, Tel +81-76-415-8868, Fax +81-76-434-5071, Email rqxhf297@yahoo.co.jpPurpose: This retrospective observational study explored the hypothesis that sex mismatch between patients and their attending speech–language therapists (STs) would contribute to the recovery of patients’ eating and swallowing functions.Patients and Methods: The pilot study was conducted in a single medical institution. The participants were inpatients with dementia and dysphagia aged ≥ 70 years who underwent the established clinical pathway to investigate and treat the causes of their decreased oral intake through a multidisciplinary approach. The participants for analysis consisted of 143 patients (male, n = 58; female, n = 85; mean age, 87 ± 7 years).Results: At the time of admission and discharge, the food intake level scale (FILS) and functional oral intake scale (FOIS) were not significantly different between the sex-matched (male patient–male ST; female patient–female ST) and sex-mismatched (male patient–female ST; female patient–male ST) groups. However, in the multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression analysis, FILS and FOIS improvement at the level of ≥ 2 points were significantly affected by sex matching (the sex-mismatched group’s odds ratio toward the sex-matched group were 2.25 [95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.00– 5.04] and 2.96 [95% CI, 1.36– 6.45], respectively). Similarly, patients’ sex (female) was identified as a significant factor associated with favor outcomes.Conclusion: In older patients with dementia and dysphagia, interventions with mismatched sex between a patient and an ST can be more effective in improving eating and swallowing functions than interventions with matched sex.Keywords: sex mismatch, sex differences, food intake level scale, functional oral intake scale, eating and swallowing training, speech–language therapist |
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| ISSN: | 1178-2390 |