J Korean Dysphagia Soc.  2013 Jan;3(1):26-31.

The Status of Dysphagia Diet and Its Prescription in Korea

• Song YB
• Choi KH
• Kim DK
• Kim HJ
• Kang EH

Abstract

Objective
The patient with dysphagia needs special care, especially on diet. Since there is no guideline for dysphagia diet in Korea, survey on the status of dysphagia diet and its prescription is needed as basic information for dysphagia diet guideline. Method: The survey form was delivered to 80 hospitals and 58 hospitals replied the survey. The questions were composed to determine whether the hospitals have a standardized manual for dysphagia diet; whether the hospitals have staged diet; what material is used to modify the thickness of the food; which criteria are used to distinguish each diet; what is the basis of the dysphagia diet prescription; whether they have a team approach in prescribing diets for dysphagia patients; and whether they have individual information on diet or on nutrition materials provided to the patients. The secondary analysis was done for the dichotomic questions through chi-square test. Result: Among 58 hospitals, 48 hospitals prescribed a dysphagia diet (82.8%). Among these, 45 hospitals had the staged diet (93.8%). Twenty-three had manual for dysphagia diet (47.9%). Thirty-one prescribed a diet on the basis of objective tests (64.6%). Seventeen prescribed a diet according to non-objective opinion such as a doctor’s opinion (35.4%). Twenty-nine had a team approach to dysphagia patients (60.4%). Thirty-five had individual information on diet (72.9%). Among these, 19 had references (54.3%). The number of beds and grade of hospitals were analyzed on secondary analysis. The dysphagia diet menu was less prepared at secondary (31.0%). The information material was not prepared on both secondary (30.0%) and relatively small hospitals (42.9%).
Conclusion
Based on this survey, it is necessary to develop standard manual in making dysphagia diet. We should have more attention on the team approach. We need to introduce the valid references to the information which is given to the patients

Keyword

Dysphagia; Diet; Survey; Prescription