Oral Frailty and Associated Factors Among Japanese Expatriates in Cambodia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Yu Kubota, Shota Nakagawa, Shigeharu Tanaka, Sho NakamuraAbstract
Objective:
Japanese expatriates in Southeast Asia are believed to be at increased risk of oral frailty, which can affect their general health. Although oral frailty begins in middle age, most published studies have focused primarily on older people. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of oral frailty and its associated factors among Japanese expatriates aged 40 years and above.
Methods:
This cross-sectional-study was conducted in Cambodia. Data from 122 participants were analyzed using a self-reported online questionnaire that included questions about sociodemographic factors, lifestyles, nutritional status, loneliness, risk of severe periodontal diseases, social participation, and physical activity. Oral frailty, the outcome variable, was assessed using the oral frailty checklist. Responses of two or more “yes” out of five questions indicated the condition.
Results:
In this population, the prevalence of oral frailty was 26.2%. Logistic analysis revealed that oral frailty was more likely to develop in older individuals (odds ratio [OR]: 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00–1.14;
Conclusion:
These findings indicate that age, risk of severe periodontal diseases, loneliness, and shorter walking time may be indicators of oral frailty in this population.