Abstract
This study aimed to identify the relationships of oral and systemic health-related characteristics with health-related quality of life (EQ-5D) in the elderly, and factors related to quality of life were compared according to age subgroups classified as either younger (young-old) or older (old-old) than 75 years of age. Data acquired by the Sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES) from 2013 to 2015 were used, and the research target was 3,124 people aged 65 years or older. A complex samples general linear model was used to identify health-related quality of life factors. Education, economic activity, depression, stress, regular walking, self-rated oral health, pronunciation problems, and unmet dental care had significant effects on quality of life in both young-old and old-old participants. Marriage, income, number of systemic diseases, sleeping, and chewing inconveniences were significant factors for the young-old but not in the old-old participants. Instead, obesity and drinking were identified as significant factors in the old-old participants. We reaffirmed that factors affecting health-related quality of life in older adults differed by age group. We also confirmed the impact of oral health-related characteristics on this quality. Therefore, to improve quality of life for older adults, it would be efficient to divide groups by age and develop and implement programs that take relevant factors into consideration.
Figures & Tables
Table 1. Participants’ sociodemographic characteristics according to age groups Unit :N(%)
