CONTINUOUS HEALTH ASSESSMENT ON DENTURE HYGIENE CARE AMONG INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY: A CASE STUDY IN KEDAH AND KELANTAN, MALAYSIA

Abstract

Background: Good daily oral hygiene is particularly crucial to maintain good oral health and quality of life. This is even more important for people of advanced age. However, poor oral hygiene is not the first thing that comes to mind when considering the challenges of individuals living in long-term care residents. This study focuses on health assessment among elderly in Kelantan and Kedah. The objective of this study was to assess whether the continuous health assessment of denture at three phases of intervention will provide the consistent results at every interval

Materials and Methods: The reference population for this study was elderly aged more than 60 years living in Rumah Seri Kenangan (RSK) in Malaysia. The source of population comprises elderly living in RSK Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan and RSK Bedong, Kedah. The risk factors of health and oral health assessment were established by multiple logistic regression models using SPSS statistical software.

Result: The results from multiple logistic regression reveals that all assessment phase I, phase II and phase III have the same significant factors. There are three variables (class of age, education level, and marriage status) based on three assessment were identified to the relationship of health assessment. Therefore, BMI, gender, and class of dentures were not found to be significantly associated with the health assessment among institutionalized elderly in Kedah and Kelantan

Conclusion: This finding may provide us with a better understanding of the relationship between the variables

Keywords: Oral hygiene, Institutionalized elderly, multiple logistic Regression, Oral health assessment, risk factors