Prevalence, risk factors and burden of dysphagia among Canadian adults with Parkinson disease

Project Summary

Parkinson disease is common and is associated with many symptoms, including swallowing impairment (dysphagia). Dysphagia is associated with increased risks of aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition and dehydration. We currently do not know enough about how common dysphagia is in Parkinson disease (prevalence), nor the impact of dysphagia on health outcomes (burden). Additionally, the interactions between Parkinson disease and other comorbidities that increase the risk of dysphagia are poorly understood. The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) includes more than 50,000 adults, and provides an ideal resource to address these knowledge gaps. We propose to analyze data from the CLSA to determine the prevalence and burden of dysphagia in people with Parkinson disease, taking comorbidities and disease duration into account. Our findings will help inform patients, clinicians and policy-makers regarding monitoring for and management of dysphagia in Canadians with Parkinson disease.