Search

Aim: Limited data are available on the association between oral function and frailty, especially in developing countries. Additionally, the association between objectively assessed chewing function and frailty has not been well studied. The present cross-sectional study tested the hypothesis that objectively measured poor chewing ability is associated with frailty in community-dwelling older Thai adults., Methods: The study population comprised 141 people in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand (median age 72 years). Demographic and clinical data were collected at a community center. Participants were asked to chew a gum designed for assessing chewing ability. The differences in gum color before and after chewing (ΔE*ab) were calculated and used as the exposure variable, where a lower ΔE*ab indicates lower chewing ability. Frailty phenotypes were defined by weakness, slowness, weight loss, low physical activity level and exhaustion components, and used as the outcome variable. Participants with three or more components were considered frail, and those with one or two components were considered pre-frail. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess the association of objective chewing ability with frailty., Results: Of the 141 participants, 32 (22.7%) were categorized as frail and 78 (55.3%) as pre-frail. In the analysis adjusted for demographic and health characteristics, the adjusted odds ratio of the presence and severity of frailty was significantly higher in participants with lower ΔE*ab (adjusted odds ratio for one decrease in ΔE*ab 1.05, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.10, P = 0.03)., Conclusions: Objectively measured chewing ability was significantly associated with frailty in community-dwelling older Thai adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 860-866., (© 2018 Japan Geriatrics Society.)

Aim: Religious social networks are well known for their capacity to improve individual health, yet the effects of friendship networks within the Buddhist context remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to compare health status and social support in community-dwelling older adults according to their level of Buddhist social network (BSN) involvement, and to examine the association between BSN involvement and functional health among older adults., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 427 Buddhist community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. Data were collected from home-based personal interviews using a structured questionnaire. Health status was defined according to the measures of basic and advanced activities of daily living (ADL), the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale and subjective quality of life. Perceived social support was assessed across the four dimensions of tangible, belonging, emotional and information support. Multiple logistic regression was used for analysis., Results: Older adults with BSN involvement reported better functional, mental and social health status, and perceived greater social support than those without BSN involvement. In addition, BSN involvement was positively associated with independence in basic and advanced ADL. After adjusting for age, sex, education, income, morbidity and depressive symptoms, BSN showed a strong association with advanced ADL and a weak association with basic ADL., Conclusion: The results show that involvement in BSN could contribute positively to functional health, particularly with regard to advanced ADL. Addressing the need for involvement in these networks by older adults might help delay functional decline and save on healthcare costs., (© 2014 Japan Geriatrics Society.)