Assessment of general and oral health related quality of life among institutionalized elderly in Taubate-SP

• Grant number: 15/01222-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Clinics
• Principal researcher: Jarbas Francisco Fernandes dos Santos
• Grantee: Mariana Sarmet Smiderle Mendes
• Home Institution: Instituto Básico de Biociências (IBB). Universidade de Taubaté (UNITAU). Taubaté , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Institutionalization among elderly population grows as life expectancy grows. A main cause of institutionalization is dementia, which increases significantly with age. Dementia prevalence and consequently greater institutionalization rates will happen as more people live longer. Unfortunately, the care expected from long-term institutions for the elderly is sometimes inadequate, and many institutionalized elderly present more precarious health status than their non-institutionalized counterparts. To provide adequate care to institutionalized elderly, it is necessary to have specific geriatric knowledge in both medicine and dentistry. Most studies assessing oral health status of individuals and populations have been based on clinical indicators of disease, as number of decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMFT). Studies about self-perception show that self-perception is related to some clinical factors, but also subjective factors, as diseases symptoms and patients confidency to smile, to speak or to chew without problems. It is also influenced by factors as social status, age, income and gender. Self-perception often differs significantly from professional assessments. For this reason, the present project has as objective to evaluate general and oral health related quality of life among institutionalized elderly in Taubate-SP. The target population for this project are people over 60 years in Taubaté (1,730 people, according to the 2010 census). Thus, the sample size (with an error of 8.0%) is155 patients. Subjects who agree to participate in this study will sign an informed consent. For assessment of the general health related quality of life, the Medical Outcomes Study 36 - Item Short Form (SF-36) questionnaire will be used. To assess oral health-related quality of life, Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and Oral Health Impact Profile 14 questions (OHIP14) questionnaires will be applied. Demographic and general and oral health data will be evaluated and noted. Cognitive status will be assessed through Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). The answers to questionnaires questions will be tabulated and descriptive statistics of the results will be generated. After data collection, distribution of the relative frequency of the questionnaire answers will be assessed by two ratios statistic test. Correlation analysis between the scores and quantitative covariates will be assessed by Pearson correlation. For comparison between groups in the quantitative variables, ANOVA is going to be applied. This request has as premise a future request for a BEPE, which will be used to compare the data to be collected during the present project with those being collected in the University of Iowa, in Iowa, United States of America. In this way, the final result will be the comparison of data collected in Brazil with those collected in the United States, both among institutionalized elderly samples.