Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10): Measuring Dysphagia

The EAT-10 is a simple self-report survey that helps patients identify swallowing difficulties. Clinicians use this validated tool to screen for dysphagia and track symptom changes over time.

Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) PDF questionnaire for screening swallowing difficulties.
EAT-10

Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10)

The Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) is a rapid, self-administered survey designed to screen for dysphagia. By measuring swallowing difficulties across ten specific scenarios, it helps clinicians track symptom severity and treatment progress. It's an essential resource for identifying patients at risk of aspiration.

Category

Physical health
Diagnostic
Rehabilitation

Disease

Assessment
Rehabilitation
Geriatrics

Source

(Belafsky et al., 2008)

Author Name

Belafsky, P.C. et al. (2008)

What is Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10)

The Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) is a reliable self-report survey used to screen for swallowing difficulties and measure symptom severity. It is widely used to help clinicians spot patients at risk of aspiration or malnutrition quickly. The tool is made up of ten straightforward questions regarding specific swallowing troubles. Patients rate each item on a scale from zero to four, where zero means no problem and four points to a severe issue. A total score of three or higher usually suggests the need for further testing, covering both physical symptoms and emotional impacts. This survey is super easy to use in clinics or hospitals and takes less than two minutes to finish. Doctors and speech pathologists use it to track changes over time or check if therapy is working effectively. It is a practical way to catch issues early so patients get the right support for safe eating and better health.

EAT-10 Scoring

The Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) can be scored using one main approach: a direct summation technique. 1. Total Score Calculation: Patients rate ten items regarding swallowing troubles on a scale from 0 (no problem) to 4 (severe problem). You simply add the responses together to get a total ranging from 0 to 40. Higher numbers point to worse dysphagia symptoms. It is worth noting that a score of 3 or higher is abnormal. This cut off helps clinicians decide if a patient needs a referral for a detailed swallowing assessment to manage aspiration risks.

View scoring form

Advantages

Efficient collection

Streamlines research data gathering process.

Outcome tracking

Measures healthcare intervention results systematically.

Reliable data

Provides consistent measurements for clinical research.

2
Minutes
10
Questions

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