Background: Swallowing exercises can improve the swallowing function and
minimize swallowing problems that may develop from head and neck cancer and its
treatment Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of swallowing exercises
program on patients with head and neck cancer. Design: A quasi- experimental design used
to achieve the aim of the current study. Subjects: Convenience sample of 30 adult patients
with head and neck cancer. Setting: The study conducted at the oncology outpatient clinics
affiliated to Fayoum University hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Tools: Three tools were used in the
current study, I. Patients' interviewing questionnaire which composed of demographic
characteristics, patients' medical data, and patients' knowledge regarding head and neck
cancer and swallowing exercises, II. Sydney Swallowing Scale (SSS) self-report inventory,
which measure symptomatic severity of swallowing difficulty III. Swallowing exercises
assessment tool to assess the ability of head and neck cancer patients to practices swallowing
exercises, Results: the mean age of the study sample was 38.76±5.09 and 60.0% were males,
43.3% of patient diagnosed with tumor in the neck (larynx). There was high significant
deference between patients knowledge pre and post swallowing exercises program
implementation in all items include definition, causes, factors, signs and symptoms and
managing of HNC with (p value =0.001). Finally there is weak positive correlation between
total patients' level of knowledge and total performance of swallowing exercises at (r =0.284).
Conclusion: based on findings of the current study, it could be concluded that: majority of
the study patients had satisfactory level of total knowledge post swallowing exercises
program. Meanwhile, there is significant relation among the studied patients in all items of
swallowing Sydney scale (alleviate swallowing problem) post swallowing exercises program
implementation. In addition to, there was a positive correlation between the total level of
knowledge of the patients and the total performance of swallowing exercises at (r=0.284).
There is a positive correlation between total patients' level of knowledge and the total
swallowing scale of Sydney at (r=0.401).There is a positive correlation between total
performance of swallowing exercise and total Sydney swallowing scale at (r=0.375).
Recommendations: Continues update educational program about swallowing problems and
swallowing exercises that should be designed for patients with head and neck cancer to
improve their knowledge and prevention of potential complications