Assessment of oral health-related quality of life and nutritional status in institutionalized elderly goan population: A descriptive, cross-sectional study

• Main Authors: Loveleen Kaur (Author), Meena Ajay Aras (Author), Vidya Chitre (Author), Aradhana Nagarsekar (Author), Kennedy Mascarenhas (Author), Amanda Nadia Ferreira (Author), Fhelen Da Costa (Author), Ridhima Birmani Gaunkar (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Background: The geriatric population is continuously at risk for nutritional deficiency and malnutrition, especially in developing countries like India. The aim of this study was to determine if the oral health-related quality of life is associated with malnutrition among the institutionalized elderly Goan population. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the institutionalized elderly in Goa. The elderly was assessed by a 12-item Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) questionnaire and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) test. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data using the SPSS version 21. Results: There were 102 elderly participants, of which 60.8% were females. The majority of study subjects (83%) were between the age group of 65 and 74 years. Among the assessed subjects, nearly 55.9% of them had a total score of GOHAI between 12 and 57 which was categorized as "needed dental care." As per MNA, 32.4% had adequate nutrition, 65.7% were at risk of malnutrition, and the remaining 2% of subjects were malnourished. There was a significant correlation between GOHAI and MNA scores. Conclusion: In the elderly, nutritional status played a significant role in the oral health quality of life. The geriatric denture population is particularly vulnerable to compromised nutritional health.

Item Description

2319-5932
2350-0484
10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_148_23