Journal of International Psychiatry

Objective This study investigates the current status of Oral Frailty (OF) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in community-dwelling elderly individuals, as well as explores the relationship between these two conditions. Methods A multistage random sampling method was employed to select 935 elderly individuals from 10 administrative communities in the northern region of Anhui Province, China, as the study participants. General information survey forms, the Oral Frailty Index-8 (OF-8), and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were utilized to conduct the investigation among the elderly. Subsequently, correlation analysis and factors influencing the relationship were analyzed. Results The occurrence rate of Oral Frailty (OF) in the community-dwelling elderly was 38.1%, and the rate of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) was 20.2%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that age, chronic diseases, educational level, and MCI were risk factors for OF among the elderly. On the other hand, gender, age, chronic diseases, and OF were identified as risk factors for the occurrence of MCI. Spearman correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between OF and MCI (r = -0.453, P < 0.001).Conclusion The occurrence rates of OF and MCI are relatively high among community-dwelling elderly individuals, and there is a negative correlation between the two conditions. Moreover, they may also have a causal relationship. As a result, healthcare professionals should not only focus on the oral health of elderly individuals but also pay close attention to their cognitive status.

Community Elderly; Oral frailty; Mild Cognitive Impairment; Influencing Factors; Correlation