Résumé
Background: swallowing disorders are one of the major geriatric syndromes because of its high prevalence, and its association with multifactorial substantial morbidity and poor outcomes such as aspiration pneumonia or choking asphyxia. Presbyphagia refers to physiological ageing of swallowing function leading to vulnerability with altered functional performances and an increased risk of aspiration. Objectives: to determine presbyphagia and oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) prevalences, the screening and management modalities, the complications rates, and the level and expressed need of training for health care workers (HCW) in geriatric hospitalisation and residency units.Methods: a national multicentric one day survey was conducted on the June 21th 2016 among geriatric acute, rehabilitation and long term care units and nursing homes. Results: sixty seven acute care units, 64 rehabilitation units, 48 long term care units and 94 nursing homes, has been included, corresponding to a total number of 7.558 patients. Depending on the units characteristics, presbyphagia and OD prevalences were respectively 15 to 34% and 14 to 31%. All cause dysphagia was significantly associated with texture thickening and the need of help for feeding (p value<0.0001). Aspiration pneumonia rate, between 50 to 78% among all causes respiratory infections, was significantly associated with presbyphagia (p value<0.0001) and not OD. Overall, HCW expressed an important need for training in dysphagia screening and management and choking asphyxia management. Conclusion: presbyphagia, even more than OD, should be considered has a central issue in the care of older people because of its high prevalence and association with frequent and lifethreatening complications like aspiration pneumonia. HCW training should be reinforced, in particular for nurses and caregivers because of their central role in dysphagia screening and management.