Research Article

The Relationship between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Volume: 12 Number: 2 August 31, 2025
TR EN

The Relationship between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: Drooling negatively impacts the quality of life of individuals with Parkinson's Disease (IwPD), and imposes a burden on caregivers. Therefore, our aim is to examine the quality of life and caregiver burden of IwPD experiencing drooling. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted involving 65 IwPD and their caregivers. IwPD were assessed using the Sialorrhea Clinical Scale for Parkinson's Disease (SCS-PD), and Drooling Frequency and Severity Scale (DFSS), while caregivers were assessed via Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Additionally, IwPD were grouped based on disease severity and duration, and their drooling-related quality of life and caregiver burden were compared. Results: Moderate to high positive and significant correlations between SCS-PD, DFSS, and ZBI were found (p<0.05). Participants in the group with longer disease duration and greater severity exhibited higher scores on the outcome measurement tools (SCS-PD, DFSS, ZBI) compared to those in the group with shorter disease duration and lower severity (p<0.01). When comparing the groups with no drooling, moderate drooling, and severe drooling, participants in the severe drooling group showed higher scores on the outcome measurement tools compared to the other two groups (p<0.01). Conclusion: In the present study, relationships were found between drooling and factors such as age, disease duration, and disease severity. These factors influence the drooling frequency and severity, thereby negatively affecting both the drooling-related quality of life of IwPD and the caregiver burden. Therefore, in addition to assessing drooling-related quality of life, caregiver burden should also be evaluated in detail.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

No funding was received for the support of this study.

Ethical Statement

The current study complies with human studies guidelines and was conducted ethically in accordance with the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. The Ondokuz Mayıs University Clinical Research Ethics Committee reviewed and approved this study protocol with decision number 2023/68.

Thanks

The authors thank everyone who took part in the study.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Speech Pathology

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

August 28, 2025

Publication Date

August 31, 2025

Submission Date

October 7, 2024

Acceptance Date

March 17, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 12 Number: 2

APA
Erensoy, İ., Yaşar, Ö., Esen Aydınlı, F., & Terzi, M. (2025). The Relationship between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study. Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences Journal, 12(2), 381-396. https://doi.org/10.21020/husbfd.1562976
AMA
1.Erensoy İ, Yaşar Ö, Esen Aydınlı F, Terzi M. The Relationship between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study. HUFHSJ. 2025;12(2):381-396. doi:10.21020/husbfd.1562976
Chicago
Erensoy, İbrahim, Özlem Yaşar, Fatma Esen Aydınlı, and Murat Terzi. 2025. “The Relationship Between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals With Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study”. Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences Journal 12 (2): 381-96. https://doi.org/10.21020/husbfd.1562976.
EndNote
Erensoy İ, Yaşar Ö, Esen Aydınlı F, Terzi M (August 1, 2025) The Relationship between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study. Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences Journal 12 2 381–396.
IEEE
[1]İ. Erensoy, Ö. Yaşar, F. Esen Aydınlı, and M. Terzi, “The Relationship between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study”, HUFHSJ, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 381–396, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.21020/husbfd.1562976.
ISNAD
Erensoy, İbrahim - Yaşar, Özlem - Esen Aydınlı, Fatma - Terzi, Murat. “The Relationship Between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals With Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study”. Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences Journal 12/2 (August 1, 2025): 381-396. https://doi.org/10.21020/husbfd.1562976.
JAMA
1.Erensoy İ, Yaşar Ö, Esen Aydınlı F, Terzi M. The Relationship between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study. HUFHSJ. 2025;12:381–396.
MLA
Erensoy, İbrahim, et al. “The Relationship Between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals With Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study”. Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences Journal, vol. 12, no. 2, Aug. 2025, pp. 381-96, doi:10.21020/husbfd.1562976.
Vancouver
1.İbrahim Erensoy, Özlem Yaşar, Fatma Esen Aydınlı, Murat Terzi. The Relationship between Drooling Frequency and Severity, Drooling-Related Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study. HUFHSJ. 2025 Aug. 1;12(2):381-96. doi:10.21020/husbfd.1562976