Factors Influencing Self-Rated Oral Health in Elderly People Residing in the Community: Results from the Korea Community Health Survey, 2016

Jong-Hoon Moon; Sung-Jin Heo; Jin-Hwa Jung

doi:10.24171/j.phrp.2020.11.4.14

Factors Influencing Self-Rated Oral Health in Elderly People Residing in the Community: Results from the Korea Community Health Survey, 2016

Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2020 Aug;11(4):245-250. doi: 10.24171/j.phrp.2020.11.4.14.

Authors

Jong-Hoon Moon¹, Sung-Jin Heo², Jin-Hwa Jung³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational Therapy, Kyungdong University, Wonju, Korea.
² Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea.
³ Department of Occupational Therapy, Semyung University, Jecheon, Korea.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the factors influencing perceived oral health in elderly individuals residing in the community.

Methods: This study used raw data from the Korea community health survey, 2016. Of the 64,223 participants that were elderly (aged ≥ 65 years), 61,280 (95.4%) were included for analysis. Self-rated oral health was the dependent variable and 6 independent variables including age, gender, type of area of residence (metropolitan or provincial), educational level, income, and living status with spouse were assessed. Oral function was studied based on mastication, pronunciation, and use of dentures, and oral health behavior included brushing teeth after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner, and before sleep). The EQ-5D questionnaire measured health-related quality of life (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression).

Results: Among the general characteristics, age, gender, educational level, income, and living status with spouse were the factors that affected self-rated oral health. Mastication, pronunciation, use of dentures, and brushing after lunch, dinner, and before sleep were the factors that influenced self-rated oral function. All domains of the EQ-5D (pain/discomfort, mobility, self-care, usual activities, and anxiety/depression) were factors that affected self-rated oral health.

Conclusion: The results of the current investigation suggest that the development of management and education strategies for oral health promotion in the elderly, should focus on improving oral function and oral health behavior, taking into account the socio-economic and demographic characteristics that have been shown to be associated with poor self-rated oral function.

Keywords: aged; oral health; quality of life; tooth.