Assessing Older Adults' Masticatory Efficiency

Abstract

Objectives: To determine internal consistency and criterion validity of a questionnaire assessing perception of masticatory efficiency in community-dwelling older adults.

Design: Secondary cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Québec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging (NuAge).

Setting: NuAge is a 5-year (2003-08) observational study of 1,793 men and women aged 67 to 84 in good general health at recruitment.

Participants: A sample of 1,789 was used to determine internal consistency of the questionnaire. A subsample (n = 94) of the cohort who underwent a clinical test directly measuring masticatory efficiency was used to determine criterion validity of the questionnaire.

Measurements: The questionnaire was a subset of the Oral Health Impact Profile containing 7 Likert-scale questions (score 0-28 points). Masticatory efficiency was assessed using a validated clinical test measuring ability to chew a raw carrot (Swallowing Threshold Test Index, score 0-100%). For perceived and measured data, a higher score indicated better masticatory efficiency.

Results: Internal consistency of the questionnaire was deemed good (Cronbach alpha = 0.803). Mean scores were generally high (men, 25.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 24.7-25.9; women, 24.3, 95% CI = 23.7-25.0), indicating good perceived masticatory efficiency for men and women. Mean performance test scores were low (men, 60.8%, 95% CI = 57.3-64.2; women, 61.2%, 95% CI = 57.7-64.7). No significant relationship between perceived and measured masticatory efficiency was observed (Pearson correlation coefficient = -0.14, P = .22).

Conclusion: Despite good internal consistency of the questionnaire and the recognized validity of the test, people's perception of their masticatory efficiency does not reflect objective efficiency as measured using a clinical test.

Keywords: assessment; masticatory efficiency; older adults; perception.