# Rehabilitation of Airway Protection in Parkinson's Disease: Comparing In-Person and Telehealth Service Delivery Models

> **NIH NIH R01** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEACHERS COLLEGE · 2024 · $149,196

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 Progressive disorders of airway protection, such as swallowing disorders (dysphagia) and cough
disorders (dystussia), are highly prevalent in PD and have significant negative implications for health and quality
of life. In fact, aspiration pneumonia, commonly associated with dysphagia/dystussia, is a leading cause of death
in PD. Despite this, approximately 40% of individuals with PD in the United States do not access rehabilitation
services or receive specialized care for these potentially life-threatening airway protective deficits. This is
compounded by a multitude of health inequities leading to ethnic/racial minorities and those from disadvantaged
regions being less likely to receive care. Despite the clear healthcare disparities, there are very few studies
examining patient perspectives as it relates to airway protection and no studies that have specifically examined
the perspectives and experiences of historically marginalized groups – including Black and Hispanic individuals
and those from disadvantaged regions – following airway protective interventions. Our long-term goal is to
improve the health outcomes of individuals with PD by increasing airway protective treatment uptake. The overall
objective of this application, an administrative supplement to our parent award R01 NS126319-01, is to utilize
an embedded mixed methods design, in which we will use qualitative data to (1) understand how participants
experience EMST and CST treatment both in-person and via telehealth, (2) examine the impact of treatment
barriers and facilitators on treatment adherence and primary treatment outcomes, and (3) qualitatively explore
treatment acceptability and satisfaction among Black and Hispanic individuals and those from disadvantaged
regions. This supplement will focus on obtaining qualitative data through semi-structured in-depth interviews
following treatment to explore treatment acceptability and satisfaction, including their barriers and facilitators.
Participants will be purposively selected to ensure representation across traditionally underrepresented racial
and ethnic groups, specifically Black and Hispanic individuals and those from disadvantaged regions. The
proposed study will be the first to utilize a mixed methodology to elucidate patient perspectives and identify
barriers and facilitators to engaging in airway protective rehabilitation in-person and via telehealth. This study
will yield critical evidence for refining EMST and CST - increasing personalized, accessible, and equitable airway
protective care for pwPD. These findings will also set the stage to culturally align airway protective treatments
such that future work can more effectively engage individuals from under-represented and disadvantaged
groups.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11062782
- **Project number:** 3R01NS126319-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEACHERS COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHELLE S TROCHE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $149,196
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11062782

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11062782, Rehabilitation of Airway Protection in Parkinson's Disease: Comparing In-Person and Telehealth Service Delivery Models (3R01NS126319-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11062782. Licensed CC0.

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