IMPACT OF THE DECREASE OF FUNCTIONS IN ORAL DIGESTIVE SYSTEM ON MALNUTRITION IN OLDER PEOPLE

Abstract

The prevalence of older people experiencing the decrease of functions in oral digestive system was 40%. They need significantly long time chewing food. More than 50% of older people have lost adult teeth. As a result, 62.1% of them have lost some nutrition. There was a study in Jakarta showing older people experiencing malnutrition (32.97%). This study aimed to find out the impact of the decrease of function in oral digestive system on malnutrition in older people in Abiyoso Senior Center of Yogyakarta. This study employed cross-sectional designed observational analysis method. The sampling technic used was purposive sampling, collecting 64 of 126 older people in Abiyoso Senior Center of Yogyakarta. This study also used bivariate analysis with chi-square testing ï¡ 0.05. The instruments used to measure the decrease of functions in the oral digestive systems were mini nutritional assessment questionnaires. The respondents showing the decrease of functions in oral digestive system were 64.1%. The results of the chi-square testing showed p-value 0.1, meaning that there were no direct relationship between the decrease of function in oral digestive system on the older people’s nutritional status. The decrease of functions in oral digestive system in older people did not relate to their nutritional status. Even though the two problems were statistically not related, older people still had to take care of their oral cavity health and digestive system. More researches are needed to find out more on this decrease of oral digestive system. A help from skilled experts in certain respected fields, particularly oral cavity care, is much appreciated.

Keywords: oral digestive system, malnutrition, older people