Patterns of Speaking Valve Use During Feeding and Barriers to Patient Compliance

Abstract

Speaking valves have potential swallowing benefits for patients with tracheostomy. However, not all patients who are candidates for speaking valves use them during oral intake. Therefore, the following study sought to identify factors in clinician recommendations for speaking valve use in swallowing, as well as perceived barriers to patient compliance with these recommendations. Survey responses were obtained from 83 speech-language pathologists in medical settings; results showed that clinicians' opinions of the current literature were significantly associated with their preferences for valve use with their patients. No significant factors were found for patient compliance. A qualitative analysis of participants' responses is provided.