Abstract.
The Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale (DOSS) is a simple, easy-to-use, 7-point scale developed to systematically rate the functional severity of dysphagia based on objective assessment and make recommendations for diet level, independence level, and type of nutrition. Intra- and interjudge reliabilities of the DOSS was established by four clinicians on 135 consecutive patients who underwent a modified barium swallow procedure at a large teaching hospital. Patients were assigned a severity level, independence level, and nutritional level based on three areas most associated with final recommendations: oral stage bolus transfer, pharyngeal stage retention, and airway protection. Results indicate high interrater (90%) and intrarater (93%) agreement with this scale. Implications are suggested for use of the DOSS in documenting functional outcomes of swallowing and diet status based on objective assessment.
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O'Neil, K., Purdy, M., Falk, J. et al. The Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale. Dysphagia 14, 139–145 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00009595
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00009595