自立高齢者の残存歯数と社会的交流との関連

A Study on the Relationship between the Number of Remaining Teeth and the Sociality in Self-supporting Elderly

　本研究の目的は，地域で自立した生活を送る65歳以上の高齢者を対象に，残存歯数を指標とし，主として他者との社会的交流の関連を明らかにすることである．

　対象は，基本健康診査受診者および未受診者518名である．対象者の平均残存歯数は，13.9±11.0本（全国平均9.7本）であり，全国調査より多い値を示した．「残存歯数」をⅠ群0本，Ⅱ群1〜9本，Ⅲ群10〜19本，Ⅳ群20本以上の4群に分類した内訳をみると，65〜69歳では20本以上の残存歯を有している群が約半数を占めていた．また，「残存歯数」は「年齢」と有意な関連を認め，高齢になるほど，残存歯は減少していた．社会的交流との関連については，「年齢」「性別」「主観的健康感」と「残存歯数」を共変量とした多重ロジスティック回帰モデルによる解析を行った．その結果，「友人との交流」「社会的役割」「他者との交流を楽しんでいるか」の3項目で残存歯数と関連を認め，残存歯を保持することが自立高齢者の社会的交流の維持，拡大につながることが示唆された．看護職の役割として，口腔ケア習慣や一般的な健康習慣を獲得できるように，ヘルスプロモーションに視点をおいた成人期からの継続的な口腔保健指導が必要と考える．

　The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the condition of oral cavity and the sociality in self-supporting elderly aged 65 years old and over in a local community.

　A total of 518 subjects were examined. As an index of cavity, a number of remaining teeth, and as indices of sociality, contact frequency with friends, social participation and social role were examined. Subjects were divided into four groups according to the number of remaining teeth ; Group Ⅰ, no tooth, Group Ⅱ, 1-9 teeth, Group Ⅲ, 10-19 teeth, Group Ⅳ, 20 teeth and over. The results were as follows ;

　1)The mean number of remaining teeth was 13.9 (SD : 11.0), and it was higher than that of the national average (9.7 teeth). About a half of subjects aged 65-69 years old had 20 teeth and over. And a number of remaining teeth was correlated with age.

　2)From an analysis of relationships between the number of remaining teeth and sociality using multiple logistic regression model with co-variables of age, gender and subjective feeling on health, three items of the sociality, "keeping contact with friends", "having a social role" and "enjoying contact with other persons" were significantly associated.

　These results suggest that retention of teeth in self-supporting elderly can keep their sociality.