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Dysphagia Following a Total Laryngectomy: The Effect on Quality of Life, Functioning, and Psychological Well-Being

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect that dysphagia has on quality of life (QoL), functioning, and psychological well-being of people who have undergone a total laryngectomy. A questionnaire battery was sent to all members (N = 197) of the Laryngectomee Association of NSW, Australia. QoL and functioning were assessed using the World Health Organisation Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQoL-Bref) and the University of Washington QoL (UW-QoL) measures. Psychological well-being was measured using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). One hundred ten questionnaires (56%) were completed and returned. There were no significant differences in QoL, as measured by the WHOQoL-Bref, between those laryngectomees with and without dysphagia. Laryngectomees with dysphagia, however, had significantly impaired functioning and markedly reduced social participation as measured by the UW-QoL. Significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety were also documented in those laryngectomees who had dysphagia. Dysphagia may not necessarily determine QoL following a total laryngectomy. However, it may have a negative impact on functioning and on psychological well-being.

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Notes

  1. Impairment: “problems in body function or structure such as a significant deviation or loss” [5, p. 11].

  2. Activity limitation: “difficulties an individual may have in executing activities” [5, p. 11].

  3. Participation restriction: “problems an individual may experience in involvement in life situations” [5, p. 11].

  4. Convergent validity: “concerned with demonstrating that two independent methods of inferring an attribute lead to similar ends” [18, pp. 92–94].

  5. Predictive validity: “concerns using an instrument to estimate some criterion behaviour that is external to the measuring instrument itself” [18, pp. 92–94].

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Acknowledgement

This paper is part of a wider research study that is generously funded through the Laryngectomee Association of NSW as part of Julia Maclean’s PhD studies at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Care Centre, St. George Hospital, Short Street, Kogarah, NSW, 2217, Australia

    Julia Maclean

  2. Orygen Youth Health, Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Susan Cotton

  3. School of Human Communication Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia

    Alison Perry

Authors
  1. Julia Maclean
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  2. Susan Cotton
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  3. Alison Perry
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Correspondence to Julia Maclean.

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Maclean, J., Cotton, S. & Perry, A. Dysphagia Following a Total Laryngectomy: The Effect on Quality of Life, Functioning, and Psychological Well-Being. Dysphagia 24, 314–321 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-009-9209-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-009-9209-0

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