Abstract
BackgroundAlong with the ageing society, hospitalized psychiatric patients are also ageing in Japan. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between age, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and oral health, including oral and swallowing function, among psychiatric inpatients.MethodsThe subjects included 165 psychiatric inpatients in psychiatric hospitals in Japan. The General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) were included in the questionnaire survey for the measurement of OHRQoL and the screening of dysphagia. A score ≥3 on the EAT-10 was defined as suspected dysphagia. Oral examinations and oral diadochokinesis (ODK) measurements for the tongue-lip motor function evaluation were conducted. The inpatients with acute psychiatric symptoms, moderate and severe dementia, and cognitive impairment that affected their ability to communicate and relate their feelings were excluded. A chi-squared test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and linear regression analysis were used for the analysis.ResultsA total of 100 (64.5%) psychiatric inpatients (49 males and 51 females) participated in this study. The means±SDs for age, the decayed missing filled teeth (DMFT) index, and GOHAI score were 67.3±14.5, 20.6±6, and 49.7±7.9, respectively. The mean ODK scores were less than 3 times/sec for all syllables. The percentage of the participants with suspected dysphagia was 45.0%. Tooth loss and suspected dysphagia were significantly associated with low GOHAI scores. The EAT-10 score was significantly correlated with the GOHAI score only after adjusting for age and sex (β=-0.725, 95% CI:-0.97, -0.64).ConclusionsIn hospitalized psychiatric patients, impaired oral health in the older subjects was more pronounced compared with that among general adults. Tooth loss and swallowing function were associated with OHRQoL. Therefore, oral care for the recovery of occlusal and swallowing functions may be needed to improve OHRQoL among psychiatric patients.
Associations between Age, Oral Health-Related Quality of Life, and Oral and Swallowing Function among Psychiatric Inpatients in Japan : a cross-sectional study
