Predictors for oral and general health outcomes and quality of life among older people attending general practice clinics in South Australia.

BACKGROUND

As the proportion and number of older people in Australia continue to grow, innovative means to tackle primary care and prevention are necessary to combat the individual, social and economic challenges of non-communicable diseases.

OBJECTIVE

To assess risk factors (or predictors) for oral and general health outcomes and quality of life of older people (75+ years.) attending general practice (GP) clinics in South Australia.

METHODS

Data were collected from older people attending 48 GP clinics in metropolitan South Australia. Age, sex, education, living arrangement, material standards, chronic conditions and nutrition were assessed as risk factors. Global self-rated oral and general health and quality of life (OHIP Severity and EQ-5D Utility) were included as outcome measures.

RESULTS

A total of 459 participants completed the study; response rate was 78%. In the adjusted models, high satisfaction with material standards and good nutritional health were positively associated with all four oral and general health measures. Sex (β = -0.08), age (β = -0.09) and number of chronic conditions (β = -0.12) were negatively associated with EQ-5D, while living arrangement (β = 0.07) was positively associated. Further, having four or more chronic conditions (RR:1.47) was significantly associated with self-rated general health.

CONCLUSION

Satisfaction with material standards and nutritional risk were consistent predictors for oral and general health outcomes and quality of life of older people visiting GP clinics.