How Does Dysphagia Assessment in Acute Stroke Affect Pneumonia?

Stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) is common in acute stroke. A significant risk factor is dysphagia. To identify dysphagia, patients are screened using a bedside tool and those suspected of dysphagia then have a specialist Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) assessment. Currently there is a wide range of screening protocols used. The aim of this research is to investigate the variation in dysphagia assessment and management to identify what factors affect the risk of SAP. The type of screen and other variations in management and practice (such as time from hospital admission to when the screen is done) will be investigated to identify any associations with higher risk of SAP. A mixed methods study will include a systematic review of the literature, interviews with patients, carers and staff and a review of medical records to investigate the patient journey during the first 72 hours from admission. Findings will be triangulated to inform a national survey of dysphagia screening and management in hospitals registered with the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP). Data from the survey will be cross-referenced with the SSNAP register and analysed to identify relationships. Results will inform development of an intervention to reduce SAP for subsequent feasibility testing.