title: Relationship between swallowing functions and health-related quality of life among community-dwelling dependent older individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study analyzed the association between swallowing function levels and health-related quality of life (QOL) among community-dwelling dependent older persons in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of a purposive sample of community-dwelling dependent older individuals in Japan was conducted. Two swallowing functions (tongue pressure and lip-closure force), the risk of dysphagia, and health-related QOL (SF-8) were surveyed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 86 (38.2%) men and 139 (61.8%) women, with a mean age of 81.6 ± 7.4 years. The activities of daily living-20 evaluation yielded a total score of 46.39 ± 10.18. The elderly participants had decreased swallowing functions. The risk-of-dysphagia score demonstrated a significant negative correlation with respect to the SF-8 subcategory scores. Moreover, the multiple regression analyses indicated that three variables exhibited significant negative differences: general health perceptions, mental health (SF-8 subarea), and activities of daily living.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increasing risk of dysphagia can lead to a deterioration in the health-related QOL among community-dwelling dependent older individuals. This implies that homecare interventions that address the deterioration of swallowing and the risk of dysphagia could be in high demand in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, Himeji University, Himeji, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morisaki
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003679:Deglutition; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: dysphagia; elderly; quality of life; swallowing functions