Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1997

Thesis Director

Frank Goldacker

Abstract

This study attempted to determine if there was a relationship between speech-language pathologists (SLP) opinion of the reliability of the Modified Evan's Blue Dye Test (MEBDT) for assessing aspiration in tracheostomized patients and three factors: (1) number of years working in the field of speech-language pathology, (2) amount of hours per week spent treating dysphagia patients , and (3) number of seminars/conferences attended related to dysphagia management in the last two years. One hundred and six SLPs in the medical setting were surveyed, 52 responded resulting in a return rate of 49.5%. The data collected through the survey was subjected to statistical analyses which included the Pearson r correlation, an ANOVA using three factors, and a chi-square analysis. The Pearson r correlation showed a significant correlation involving the amount of hours per week spent treating dysphagia patients and the total score on the survey. Results revealed an r = .5720 (p = .000). The ANOVA revealed a significant main effect (p= .026) between hours per week spent treating dysphagia patients and the total score on the survey. The remaining two factors, years of experience and number of seminars/conferences attended related to dysphagia management, showed no significant correlation or main effect. Chi-square results revealed that: (1) those who use food dye to assess aspiration tend to view the MEBDT as a reliable measure for detecting aspiration, (2) those who treat patients with tracheostomies deem the MEBDT to be as reliable as videofluoroscopy for detecting aspiration, and (3) those who use food dye to assess aspiration consider the MEBDT to be as reliable as videofluoroscopy for detecting aspiration. These findings suggest that those who use the MEBDT most frequently deem it to be a reliable measure of detecting aspiration perhaps reflecting an unconscious bias toward this technique. This bias appears to exist regardless of the fact that there is no research base to support the MEBDT as a reliable measure of aspiration.

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