6th Edition of World Nursing Science Conference 2026

Abstract

Healthy aging draw attention around the world. Healthy life expectancy in aged people is an important issue. The oral function and nutritional state are key points for it in community dwelling elder people. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between oral discomfort and nutritional state. Deteriorating oral function such as masticatory force and tongue function, salivation will make people feel discomfort, and may bring their nutritional state down. This research target was community dwelling elder people (above 65 years old) who had no deterioration of cognitive function and lived independently. Data obtained in this study included demographic factors (age and sex), oral function (masticatory force), frailty (Kihon check list), nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)), and oral symptoms (Oral Health Impact Profile14 (OHIP14)). The frailty and MNA were dichotomous variables. Exploratory factor analysis was carried out to investigate the dimensionality of the OHIP-14 in the present study sample. In the result of exploratory factor analysis, two factor scores were generated regarded as oral discomfort deteriorating socializing with others and daily life in this study (MR1, MR2). MR1 was named “disturbing socialization with people and daily life by oral discomfort symptoms”, MR2 done “disturbing diet by oral discomfort symptoms”. After univariate analysis between frailty and age, sex, oral discomfort, oral function, logistic regression analysis was conducted with MNA as a dependent variable. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Hyogo university (Receipt number 20010). The author has no financial conflicts of interest to disclose concerning the presentation. Participants were 176. Univariate analyses compared sex and age, oral function, frailty between two groups (MNA). The logistic regression analysis was conducted with age and oral function, MR1, MR2, frailty. The result of the logistic regression analysis showed that MR2 and frailty were significant variables, but age and oral function, MR1 were not.