Beyond the Mouth: Exploring Oral Health and Clinical Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Nova Scotians
| dc.contributor.author | Chan, Deborah | |
| dc.contributor.copyright-release | Not Applicable | |
| dc.contributor.degree | Master of Science | |
| dc.contributor.department | School of Communication Sciences and Disorders | |
| dc.contributor.ethics-approval | Received | |
| dc.contributor.external-examiner | n/a | |
| dc.contributor.manuscripts | Not Applicable | |
| dc.contributor.thesis-reader | Shauna Hachey | |
| dc.contributor.thesis-reader | Ana Maria Gonzalez-Barrero | |
| dc.contributor.thesis-reader | Steve Aiken | |
| dc.contributor.thesis-supervisor | Dr. Rebecca Affoo | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-04-08T18:09:33Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-04-08T18:09:33Z | |
| dc.date.defence | 2026-03-18 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026-04-07 | |
| dc.description | Older adults aged 65 years and older represent a growing proportion of the Canadian population, particularly in Nova Scotia, where frailty rates and the proportion of rural communities are high. Despite evidence linking oral health and systemic outcomes, there is a paucity of research examining the relationship between oral health and frailty among community-dwelling older adults. This study examined the association between oral health measures and clinical frailty (primary objective), and social factors (age, sex, place of residence, education level, and income level) as predictors of oral health measures and clinical frailty (secondary objective). These findings demonstrate significant associations between oral health measures and frailty among community-dwelling older Nova Scotians. Socioeconomic factors were associated with perceived oral health impacts and frailty, suggesting potential social gradients within this population. While causality cannot be inferred, oral health may represent a clinically relevant and potentially modifiable correlate of frailty that warrants further longitudinal investigation. | |
| dc.description.abstract | This cross-sectional study explored the relationships between oral health and clinical frailty in 115 community-dwelling Nova Scotians aged 65 years and older. Oral health measures include the Revised Oral Assessment Guide (ROAG) and Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14). Frailty was assessed by the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). ROAG scores were significantly associated with CFS scores (rₛ(113) = .284, p =.002). OHIP-14 scores were also significantly associated with CFS scores (rₛ(113) = .269, p =.004), with the handicap dimension showing the strongest association (rs(113) = .294, p =.001). Social factors did not significantly predict ROAG total scores. However, social factors significantly predicted OHIP-14 scores (p =.015), with income ≥$100,000 associated with lower OHIP-14 scores (B = -5.137, 95% CI: -9.223, -1.051). Social factors significantly predicted CFS scores (p =.014), with female sex independently associated with higher frailty (B = 0.569, 95% CI: 0.075, 1.064). | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10222/85954 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.subject | oral health | |
| dc.subject | frailty | |
| dc.subject | Nova Scotia | |
| dc.title | Beyond the Mouth: Exploring Oral Health and Clinical Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Nova Scotians |