Swallowing Difficulties and the Power of Interprofessional Healthcare Training

What is it about?

Swallowing problems, known as dysphagia, are common in adults after stroke or brain injury. These problems can lead to serious health risks such as choking, pneumonia, and malnutrition. Nurses and other healthcare professionals are often responsible for identifying and managing these problems, but their training varies widely. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine whether professional training improves healthcare workers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to dysphagia. We analyzed eight high-quality studies that evaluated healthcare providers—mostly nurses—before and after receiving training. We found that training improves dysphagia knowledge and care. The results showed large, statistically significant improvements in how nurses understood and responded to swallowing problems. Training programs included videos, lectures, role-play, and demonstrations. These programs led to better screening practices, more accurate identification of swallowing risks, and increased confidence among nurses. However, nearly all the research focused only on nurses. Other professionals—such as physicians, dietitians, occupational therapists, and social workers—were not included, even though dysphagia care requires teamwork across many disciplines. This shows a major gap in current research. Our findings highlight the importance of interprofessional training to improve dysphagia care. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), who specialize in swallowing disorders, are well-positioned to lead such training. Expanding education across healthcare roles can lead to earlier detection, safer management, and better outcomes for patients with dysphagia.

Why is it important?

This study is among the first to systematically review and meta-analyze the effects of professional training on healthcare providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) in dysphagia care. While individual studies have explored training outcomes, this research combines data across multiple programs to quantify their impact. A key finding is that although dysphagia management requires collaboration across healthcare roles, nearly all existing training research has focused exclusively on nurses. This highlights a significant gap in interprofessional education. The study is timely given the growing prevalence of dysphagia among stroke survivors and older adults, and the increasing push for team-based care in healthcare systems. By identifying both the effectiveness of training and the lack of inclusion of other professionals, this research can help guide future educational programs, interprofessional initiatives, and policy decisions aimed at improving patient outcomes in dysphagia management.