[Relationship between comprehensive quality of life and factors related to chewing and swallowing function among community-dwelling elderly individuals].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between comprehensive quality of life (QOL) and some factors regarding chewing and swallowing function among community-dwelling elderly individuals.


METHODS
The subjects were 675 independent elderly persons residing in the northern area of Miyazaki Prefecture, and we obtained the self-administered questionnaires from 545 elderly people. We used "active scale for the elderly (ASE)" and "dysphagia risk assessment for the community-dwelling elderly (DRACE)" to evaluate their comprehensive QOL and function of chewing and swallowing, respectively. Furthermore, we examined some factors such as age, gender, subjective satisfaction with diet and verbal communication.


RESULTS
The score of ASE showed a significant decline with age (p<0.01) while the DRACE score increased significantly with age (p<0.01). Pearson's correlation coefficients revealed that the ASE score was significantly related to all of the factors regarding regulation of food intake. Partial correlation coefficients adjusted for age also revealed the same tendency. From the multiple regression analysis, subjective satisfaction with verbal communication, DRACE score, age and appetite were extracted as factors influencing ASE score (adjusted R(2)=0.43, p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Among independent elderly persons residing in the community, the comprehensive QOL was significantly related to factors such as subjective satisfaction with verbal communication, dysphagia risk, age, and appetite.
Area on Community Healthcare, National Institute of Public Health.
Hiroko
H
Miura
Shuichi
S
Hara
Naoko
N
Morisaki
Kiyoko
K
Yamasaki
D000368:Aged; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires