Oral Health as a Predictor of Physical Frailty among Rural Community-Dwelling Elderly in an Agricultural County of Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Ya-Wen Kuo, Mei-Yen Chen, Li-Ching Chang and Jiann- Der Lee
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Ya-Wen Kuo: Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, No. 2, Sec. W., Jiapu Rd., Puzi City 613, Chiayi, Taiwan
Mei-Yen Chen: Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, No. 2, Sec. W., Jiapu Rd., Puzi City 613, Chiayi, Taiwan
Li-Ching Chang: Department of Dentistry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Chiayi Branch, No. 6, West Sec., Jiapu Road, Puzi City 613, Chiayi, Taiwan
Jiann- Der Lee: Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Chiayi Branch, No. 6, West Sec., Jiapu Road, Puzi City 613, Chiayi, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-10

Abstract: We conducted a cross-sectional study to clarify the relationship between oral health and physical frailty (PF). A sample of 903 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥ 65 years were enrolled from random communities in Chiayi County. The self-perceived oral health (SPOH) and oral health assessment tool (OHAT), which consists of eight items, was used for the evaluation of their oral health status. PF was assessed based on the Study of Osteoporotic Fracture index. Overall, 14.6% of the participants had PF. In an adjusted model, restricted food types (odds ratio (OR) = 1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2–2.09, p = 0.001), self-reported dental status (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.2–2.15, p = 0.001), number of teeth (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96–0.99, p = 0.006), frequency of tooth cleaning (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.68–1.0, p = 0.049), OHAT score (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02–1.17, p < 0.017), and saliva items of OHAT (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.11–2.1, p = 0.010) were significantly associated with PF. SPOH is a crucial indicator of PF; longitudinal analyses are necessary to understand the underlying pathway of risk factors for frailty onset.

Keywords: oral health; physical frailty; rural elderly; agricultural (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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