NYC Gazette

A recent study has highlighted a significant lack of public awareness surrounding dysphagia, a swallowing disorder, despite its common occurrence. Conducted by researchers from the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, the survey involved 2,000 adults and analyzed their understanding of four disorders: dysphagia, insomnia, vertigo, and ataxia.

According to Sonja M. Molfenter, the lead author and associate professor at NYU Steinhardt, dysphagia impacts approximately 6.5% of Americans, with a higher incidence in people over 65. She explained the potential dangers: "When someone has dysphagia, food and liquid can go into the lungs and cause pneumonia—which in some cases can be fatal."

The study found that only 25% of participants were familiar with dysphagia, compared to 99% for insomnia and 87% for vertigo. The awareness of ataxia was even lower at 18%. When it came to recognizing the impacts of these disorders, only 4% could correctly identify all health impacts of dysphagia, such as malnutrition, pneumonia, and decreased quality of life. In contrast, 60% managed to do so for insomnia.

Responses regarding the correct healthcare provider for each condition also varied. For dysphagia, 47% of respondents chose correctly, compared to 74% for insomnia, 56% for vertigo, and 36% for ataxia.

Molfenter expressed concerns over these findings, stating, “This study confirms that there is a gap in public awareness for dysphagia, as opposed to conditions like insomnia or vertigo. It is our hope that this survey data can help our team and others focus efforts on advocacy and awareness to support early intervention, improved infrastructure, increased research funding, and more equitable healthcare access.”

The research included contributions from Aaron Johnson of NYU Langone Health, as well as several NYU Steinhardt student researchers. The project was part of the Summer Health and Academic Research Experience in Communicative Sciences and Disorders (SHARE-CSD) at NYU, backed by a grant from the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.