Dysphagia in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is common, consequential, and frequently under-recognized. At the patient level, commonly used patient-reported questionnaires in clinical practice may miss or mischaracterize swallowing risk due to unclear wording, vague response options, and inconsistent recall periods. At the research level, variability in how swallowing assessments are conducted and reported limits comparability across studies and contributes to uncertainty in the evidence base. At the guideline level, these upstream limitations, combined with challenges in translating evidence into clear, actionable recommendations, leave guidance difficult to operationalize in routine care.
This session integrates findings from a systematic appraisal of patient-reported dysphagia questionnaires in PD, analyses of adherence to trustworthy guideline development and reporting standards, and health services research examining strategies used by Parkinson’s Foundation Centers of Excellence with lower hospitalization rates. By examining challenges across patient, research, clinician, and system levels, the presentation will explore how detection approaches and care processes shape swallowing management in PD. Practical strategies for strengthening dysphagia identification and embedding structured monitoring within routine Parkinson’s care will be discussed.