Abstract

Introduction: Swallowing is an essential process in maintaining body homeostasis. With aging, changes occur in both central and peripheral structures, giving rise to presbyphagia, which involves morphological and functional alterations in the swallowing process. However, reports on the prevalence of swallowing difficulties in older adults are currently scarce. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of swallowing difficulties due to aging, and how self-reported difficulties are related to safety, efficiency, competence, and comfort parameters. Method: To this end, exploratory-descriptive research was carried out considering the self-perception assessment of 18 older adults from the city of Iquique, Chile. Results: A prevalence of 27.78% was reported in terms of self-perceived swallowing difficulties. Conclusions: Results inform the need for greater use of early screening instruments, such as self-report questionnaires.