Oral health knowledge, beliefs and practices among community‐dwelling older adults in Shanghai, China: A cross‐sectional analysis

Dairy products (DP) are part of a food group that may contribute to the prevention of physical frailty. We aimed to investigate DP exposure, including total DP, milk, fresh DP and cheese, and their cross-sectional and prospective associations with physical frailty in community-dwelling older adults. The cross-sectional analysis was carried out on 1490 participants from the Three-City Bordeaux cohort. The 10-year frailty risk was examined in 823 initially non-frail participants. A food frequency questionnaire was used to assess DP exposure. Physical frailty was defined as the presence of at least 3 out of 5 criteria of the frailty phenotype: weight loss, exhaustion, slowness, weakness, and low physical activity. Among others, diet quality and protein intake were considered as confounders. The baseline mean age of participants was 74.1 y and 61% were females. Frailty prevalence and incidence were 4.2% and 18.2%, respectively. No significant associations were observed between consumption of total DP or DP sub-types and frailty prevalence or incidence (OR = 1.40, 95%CI 0.65–3.01 and OR = 1.75, 95%CI 0.42–1.32, for a total DP consumption >4 times/d, respectively). Despite the absence of beneficial associations of higher DP consumption on frailty, older adults are encouraged to follow the national recommendations regarding DP.

Download Full-text

A Frailty Index from Next-of-Kin Data: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the Mexican Health and Aging Study

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2017/6069374 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Mario Ulises Pérez-Zepeda ◽

Matteo Cesari ◽

María Fernanda Carrillo-Vega ◽

Guillermo Salinas-Escudero ◽

Pamela Tella-Vega ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Frailty Index ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Next Of Kin ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cross Sectional Analysis ◽

Aging Study ◽

The Mean ◽

Number Of Visits ◽

Sectional Analysis

Objectives. To construct a frailty index from next-of-kin information of the last year of life of community-dwelling 50 years old or older adults and test its association with health services utilization. Methods. Cross-sectional analysis from next-of-kin data available from the last wave of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS). Measurements. Along with descriptive statistics, the frailty index (FI) was tested in regression models to assess its association with adverse outcomes previous to death: number of hospitalized days in the previous year and number of visits to a physician in the previous year, in unadjusted and adjusted models. Results. From a total of 2,649 individuals the mean of age was 74.8 (±11.4) and 56.3% (n = 1,183) were women. The mean of the FI was of 0.279 (±SD 0.131, R = 0.0–0.738) and distribution was biased to the right. There was a significant association (p < 0.001) between the FI and number of hospitalized days (β = 45.7, 95% CI 36.1–55.4, p < 0.001) and for the number of visits to a physician (β = 25.93, 95% CI 19.27–32.6, p < 0.001) both models adjusted for age and sex. Conclusion. The FI constructed with next-of-kin data showed similar characteristics to similar indexes of older adults. It was independently associated with health care use.

Download Full-text

Saving Senior Smiles: A Community Outreach Educational Program and Pilot Research Project

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.3055 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 842-842

Author(s):

Prajakta Joshi ◽

Kadambari Rawal

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Oral Health ◽

Dental Care ◽

Health Knowledge ◽

Dental Students ◽

Oral Bacteria ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Outreach Program ◽

Senior Centers ◽

Oral Health Knowledge

Abstract Globally, poor oral health has been evidenced more frequently among older adults. Thus, it is imperative to develop strategies for improving the oral health knowledge and access to dental care amongst the older adult population. The Saving Senior Smiles (S3) pilot outreach program was launched as an oral health education and awareness program for community-dwelling older adults across senior centers in the greater Boston area (Massachusetts, USA). The outreach consisted of oral health educational seminars presented by pre- doctoral dental students from three dental schools in the Boston area. The presentations highlighted the significance of oral health, and the importance of seeking routine dental care. Pre and post-test surveys were administered to assess the participants’ utilization of oral health services and oral health knowledge. The surveys were completed by 85 older adults (Female= 58.8%) across five senior centers. Questions pertaining to utilization of dental services revealed that 78.8% of the participants had a dentist. Expectedly, the center that reported the greatest number of missing teeth (Fenway center= 70.6%) had the least number of individuals who had a dentist (58.3%). With regard to oral health knowledge, before the seminars, less than half of the participants (42.2% ) across all the senior centers were aware of the common oral conditions that affected older adults ( dry mouth, gum recession and changes in oral bacteria) and after the presentation over 60% of the participants responded correctly to these knowledge questions. Overall, these findings emphasize the value of simple community-based interventions for older adults.

Download Full-text

Purpose, Frequency, and Mode of Transport by Which Older Adults Leave Their Home—A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Journal of Aging and Physical Activity ◽

10.1123/japa.2018-0242 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (5) ◽

pp. 688-695

Author(s):

A. Stefanie Mikolaizak ◽

Jochen Klenk ◽

Dietrich Rothenbacher ◽

Michael D. Denkinger ◽

Kilian Rapp ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Leaving Home ◽

Social Contacts ◽

Time Out ◽

Mode Of Transport ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Time spent out-of-home can increase physical activity (PA) levels. However, the association between the purpose for leaving home and the mode of transport on time out-of-home and PA are not straightforward. In a large sample of community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years), daily walking duration was measured prospectively over 1 week using body-fixed sensors and time-out-of-home questionnaires. Data from 1,277 participants yielded 6,500 full days for analysis. The following statistically significant associations were seen: public transport use increased the time spent out-of-home by 88 min and daily walking duration by 16 min. Social contacts or the use of a car increased the time out-of-home, but decreased PA. Shopping or “going by foot” decreased the time spent out-of-home by 19 and 62 min, respectively, while both increased the daily walking duration by 5 min. The association between time out-of-home and PA (daily walking duration) is strongly dependent on the activity and mode of transport.

Download Full-text