Dysphagia awareness and knowledge among allied healthcare professionals in India: A cross-sectional study

Background: Dysphagia, a swallowing disorder with potentially serious health consequences, is often underdiagnosed in resource-limited settings like India. Globally, allied healthcare professionals (AHPs) are recognized as crucial team members in dysphagia rehabilitation. However, their knowledge, attitudes, and preferred practices for dysphagia care in the country are inadequately explored. Objective: This study aimed to assess awareness, familiarity, practical knowledge, training level, current practices, and interprofessional collaboration among AHPs in India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 201 AHPs across India. Data were collected online through a structured, self-administered questionnaire covering demographics, familiarity with dysphagia, formal training, clinical exposure, interprofessional collaboration, and perceived barriers. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results: The majority of the respondents were nurses (77.1%), with fewer physiotherapists (21.4%) and occupational therapists (1.5%). While 90.5% were familiar with the term “dysphagia,” only 33.3% reported receiving actual formal training in dysphagia management, and only 42.4% reported the use of any screening protocol. The main barriers were identified as a lack of awareness (46.3%), insufficient training (33.3%), and limited interprofessional collaboration. Encouragingly, 91.5% expressed their interest in further training on dysphagia. Conclusion: The study indicates a significant deficit in education and inter-professional collaboration among allied health professionals in the management of dysphagia, despite their interest in training and improvement. The findings of this survey highlight the importance of dysphagia-focused training and developing a standardized screening protocol and national policies to bridge the current gaps toward improving dysphagia care.