CHAPTER 57: EDINBURGH FEEDING EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE (EDFED-Q)

Description

The Edinburgh Feeding Evaluation Questionnaire (EdFED-Q) is an outcome measure designed to quantify the quality of mealtime interactions with caregivers as well as the level of help a client may need while eating typical of that seen in those with late stage neurocognitive disorder (NCD) of the Alzheimer’s and related types or other debilitating conditions known to effect mealtime activities of daily living. The EdFED-Q is delivered through observations completed during mealtime performance. The results then allow the clinician to determine an individual’s level of impairment as well as the need for possible psychosocial and clinical interventions as well as referrals for more detailed occupational or speech therapy services, environmental modifications, dietary alterations, and other special communication techniques designed to support the nutritional intake of a compromised individual (Amella & Lawrence, 2007). The assessment contains 11 items that form 3 groups of indicators pertaining to patient behavior: obstinacy/aversion and passivity (7 items); clinical interventions (3 items); and feeding difficulties (1 item). The seven behavior items, in particular, form a hierarchy of mealtime behavior such that those behaviors should be predictable in persons with mealtime difficulties (Amella & Lawrence 2007). Items 1 to 10 of the assessment are scored as either (0) never, (1) sometimes, or (2) often, whereas item 11 is a subjective measure of the level of assistance needed as determined by the clinician. The EdFED-Q can be completed during one meal, less than 30 minutes, with higher scores indicating more problematic feeding.

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