Oral Health Differences Between Middle-Aged and Older Adults in South Korea
Introduction and aims: The oral health characteristics of middle-aged and older adults exhibit variations. This study identifies the various factors associated with oral health among middle-aged and older adults through a subgroup analysis by age group of data representative of the South Korean popu...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | International Dental Journal |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020653924001540 |
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| author | Yoonjung Ji Wonhee Baek |
| author_facet | Yoonjung Ji Wonhee Baek |
| author_sort | Yoonjung Ji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction and aims: The oral health characteristics of middle-aged and older adults exhibit variations. This study identifies the various factors associated with oral health among middle-aged and older adults through a subgroup analysis by age group of data representative of the South Korean population. Methods: We examined influencing factors: demographic, socioeconomic, dental, physical attributes, psychological, and mental attributes. Oral health was assessed using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index. The participants were divided into two groups: those under 65 years of age (middle-aged) and those over 65 years of age (older adults). We used multiple linear regression analysis and dominance analysis to determine the dominant factors associated with oral health. Results: A total of 6369 participants were aged 69.2 ± 9.8 years on average, and 57.5% were women. Dominance analysis revealed that lower educational levels and activity difficulty caused by diseases were significantly associated with both groups. Moreover, depressive symptoms were the foremost adverse factor linked to oral health in the middle-aged (P < .001, standardized beta [β] = –4.30, general dominance index [GDI] = 19.00) and older (P < .001, β = –0.30, GDI = 10.70) adults. The number of teeth exhibited the most positive association with oral health in both middle-aged (P < .001, β = 0.20, GDI = 5.30) and older (P < .001, β = 0.23, GDI = 7.40) adults. However, cognitive function, dental visits, body mass index, severe pain, functional limitations, and cognitive function exhibited distinct patterns between the age groups. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms and the number of teeth significantly influence oral health in middle-aged and older adults, though the impact varies by age. These findings stress the importance of tailored strategies considering age-specific attributes for effective oral health improvement. Clinical relevance: Enhancing oral health requires healthcare providers to prioritize monitoring age-specific risk factors. Further, educational plans should highlight the importance of preventive oral care and regular dental visits. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-eaa42010c19248ea9b8baf792994ea76 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0020-6539 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Dental Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-eaa42010c19248ea9b8baf792994ea762025-01-21T04:12:41ZengElsevierInternational Dental Journal0020-65392025-02-01751314323Oral Health Differences Between Middle-Aged and Older Adults in South KoreaYoonjung Ji0Wonhee Baek1Brain Korea 21 FOUR Project, Mo-Im Kim Nursing Research Institute, College of Nursing, Yonsei University, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, South KoreaCollege of Nursing, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea; Corresponding author. College of Nursing, Gyeongsang National University, 816-15 Jinju-daero, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52727, South Korea.Introduction and aims: The oral health characteristics of middle-aged and older adults exhibit variations. This study identifies the various factors associated with oral health among middle-aged and older adults through a subgroup analysis by age group of data representative of the South Korean population. Methods: We examined influencing factors: demographic, socioeconomic, dental, physical attributes, psychological, and mental attributes. Oral health was assessed using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index. The participants were divided into two groups: those under 65 years of age (middle-aged) and those over 65 years of age (older adults). We used multiple linear regression analysis and dominance analysis to determine the dominant factors associated with oral health. Results: A total of 6369 participants were aged 69.2 ± 9.8 years on average, and 57.5% were women. Dominance analysis revealed that lower educational levels and activity difficulty caused by diseases were significantly associated with both groups. Moreover, depressive symptoms were the foremost adverse factor linked to oral health in the middle-aged (P < .001, standardized beta [β] = –4.30, general dominance index [GDI] = 19.00) and older (P < .001, β = –0.30, GDI = 10.70) adults. The number of teeth exhibited the most positive association with oral health in both middle-aged (P < .001, β = 0.20, GDI = 5.30) and older (P < .001, β = 0.23, GDI = 7.40) adults. However, cognitive function, dental visits, body mass index, severe pain, functional limitations, and cognitive function exhibited distinct patterns between the age groups. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms and the number of teeth significantly influence oral health in middle-aged and older adults, though the impact varies by age. These findings stress the importance of tailored strategies considering age-specific attributes for effective oral health improvement. Clinical relevance: Enhancing oral health requires healthcare providers to prioritize monitoring age-specific risk factors. Further, educational plans should highlight the importance of preventive oral care and regular dental visits.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020653924001540AgedDominance analysisLinear modelsMiddle-agedOral health |
| spellingShingle | Yoonjung Ji Wonhee Baek Oral Health Differences Between Middle-Aged and Older Adults in South Korea International Dental Journal Aged Dominance analysis Linear models Middle-aged Oral health |
| title | Oral Health Differences Between Middle-Aged and Older Adults in South Korea |
| title_full | Oral Health Differences Between Middle-Aged and Older Adults in South Korea |
| title_fullStr | Oral Health Differences Between Middle-Aged and Older Adults in South Korea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oral Health Differences Between Middle-Aged and Older Adults in South Korea |
| title_short | Oral Health Differences Between Middle-Aged and Older Adults in South Korea |
| title_sort | oral health differences between middle aged and older adults in south korea |
| topic | Aged Dominance analysis Linear models Middle-aged Oral health |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020653924001540 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yoonjungji oralhealthdifferencesbetweenmiddleagedandolderadultsinsouthkorea AT wonheebaek oralhealthdifferencesbetweenmiddleagedandolderadultsinsouthkorea |