Impact of oral health on nutritional status, self-perception of oral health and quality of life of institutionalized elderly.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the influence of oral health on nutritional status, self-perception of oral health and health related quality of life of institutionalized elders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 193 institutionalized elders living in the metropolitan region of João Pessoa (Brazil). The independent variables included were: 1) caries experience (DMFT index and its components); 2) use and need of dental prostheses; and 3) type of edentulism. The dependent variables included were related to nutritional status, self-perception of oral health and health-related quality of life. Data were submitted to a descriptive and comparative analysis, through correlation, association and difference tests, considering a significance level of 5% (p<0.05). RESULTS: No statistical significant correlations or associations between the oral health status and nutritional status and quality of life were found (p>0.05). Individuals who did not need prosthesis had higher scores for nutritional status. Self-perception of oral health and health-related quality of life did not vary significantly according to the studied variables. CONCLUSIONS: The oral health status has a limited impact on the nutritional status, and does not impact the self-perception of oral health and quality of life of the institutionalized elders. Key words:Nursing homes, oral health, quality of life.

Physical and psychological states interfere with health-related quality of life of institutionalized elderly: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Nursing home elders experience many problems that may influence their quality of life, in example of cognitive, mental, nutritional and physical disabilities. Concerning about elders' wellbeing may help them living with dignity. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of institutionalized elders in a capital city of Brazilian Northeast. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 125 institutionalized elders living in the metropolitan region of João Pessoa (Brazil). The following variables were tested regarding their association with the elders' HRQoL: Socio-demographic characteristics; Performance of daily-living activities, Frailty status, Cognitive status, Nutritional status, Self-perception of oral health and Depression status. Hierarchical multiple Poisson loglinear and binary logistic regressions analyses were performed in order to assess the impact of each independent variable on HRQoL, considering a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The median of HRQoL of institutionalized elders was 64. Multivariate regression models showed that retirement, frailty and depression were statistically associated with poor HRQoL (p < 0.05). Not-frail elderly and less depressed were more likely to present higher HRQoL scores. CONCLUSIONS: Lower HRQoL of institutionalized elderly is associated with decline of physical and psychological states. Institutions should be advised to plan and implement actions that would improve the HRQoL of institutionalized elderly.

Biochemical and microbiological analysis of the saliva of institutionalized elderly: With edentulism, use of dentures and presence of biofilm.

BACKGROUND: To analyze biochemical and microbiological parameters of the saliva of institutionalized elders and to investigate the relation of these parameters with edentulism, use of dentures and presence of biofilm. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study carried was out in seven long-term institutions. Samples (n=161) of unstimulated saliva were collected for analysis of salivary flow, quantification of total proteins and identification of microorganisms. Oral examination was carried out to verify the number of missing teeth, the use of dentures and the presence of visible biofilm on the surface of teeth and dentures. Associations were performed using chi-square or Fisher's exact test (α<0.05). Mann-Whitney Test was used to identify differences in the salivary flow and total proteins (α<0.05). RESULTS: There was no association between the type of edentulism and use of dentures with biochemical and microbiological parameters of saliva (p>0.05). Associations were observed between the presence of dentures biofilm and the colonization of Streptococcus sp. (p=0.038) and Candida sp. (p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The absence of teeth and use of dentures do not influence the amount of total proteins and the microorganisms count in saliva. Denture biofilms are associated with the presence of Streptococcus sp. and Candida sp. in saliva of institutionalized elders. Key words:Candida, long-stay institutions for elders, saliva, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus.